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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23598742">An Eye for a Feather</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenrirae/pseuds/Fenrirae'>Fenrirae</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Devious Plans, Fantasy AU, M/M, Pining, Possessiveness, Raven-Folk, Slade has a lowkey thing for Dick's feathers, Slade's both a monster hunter and a mercenary, Sladin, Wounded Slade, hints of one-sided JayDick, slightly dubcon at times because Slade can be pretty adamant about what he wants</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:29:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23598742</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenrirae/pseuds/Fenrirae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Slade, mercenary and monster hunter by trade, gets badly injured during a skirmish with enemy soldiers. He’s rescued by a peculiar avian creature that’s part of the Raven-folk, the type of beings Slade would usually hunt. The distaste is mutual, as the Raven-folk would likely lynch him if they found out about his existence at their roost. </p><p>However, that turns out to be the least of his worries. The real struggle is thwarting his captor and escaping said captor’s nest, which proves to be much harder than he’d anticipated.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>234</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Chance Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The screams of dying men still echoed through the trees.</p><p>The battle had been decided.</p><p>Damn Luthor for leading them to this shitfest. They’d been far outnumbered from the start.</p><p>Things were getting blurry, dark and green smudging in a whirl, as he staggered deeper into the forest beyond the tree line.</p><p>The village must be somewhere close by.</p><p>Worst of all was the utter blackness on his right side. He couldn’t see a damn thing, let alone open the eyelid. All he could perceive was something wet and sticky running down the cheek, despite the hand he had firmly pressed against his right eye.</p><p>The opponent’s blade had pierced his eyeball and would’ve even pierced his skull, had he not managed to jam his own sword into the man’s chest in time.</p><p>It was kinda funny though as if he was trying to plug one hole by pressing on his eye when the whole ship was riddled with leaks, sinking fast.</p><p>Particularly the stab wound in his chest.</p><p>It was just a matter of time.</p><p>Bleeding out due to a skirmish like this, that wouldn’t even impact the outcome of the war, was not how he’d envisioned things would end.</p><p>Shit.</p><p>The legs were getting numb. He fumbled, finding the firm surface of a redwood tree, leaning against it immediately. His hand was red and slick with blood, making him slip a bit on the bark of the tree.</p><p>Just like that, he was crumpling to the ground, the tree his only support.</p><p>He wasn’t ready to go yet. Yet his body was shutting down piece by piece. If he could just find that damn village, get some help…</p><p>Or he could get some shuteye. Just for a bit.</p><p>There was a thud from somewhere in front of him as if something had jumped down.</p><p>Then the grass rustled from footsteps.</p><p>His body should’ve gone on high alert, given him enough adrenaline to make a last stand. Yet his body remained still. His left eyelid seemed to be made of iron and it took an enormous effort to open it one more time, to blink.</p><p>The hitch in his throat resulted in a cough, as he stared.</p><p>A man or no, a <em>winged</em> creature, kneeled in front of him.</p><p>The thing reached out its hand, carefully unclasping the straps of his pierced armor, removing it. It observed his upper body, tilting its head and hand hovering above the wound.</p><p>It looked like it was wincing at the sight.</p><p>He wanted to swat the hand away but his limbs didn’t get the message.</p><p>He could only let out a series of raspy breaths while staring at the creature.</p><p>Fate sure had a funny way of repeating itself, if he was to meet his end at the hands of a supernatural being like this. Just like Addie and the kids, except they’d at least fought until the bitter end.</p><p>All he could do was lie there, offering no resistance.</p><p>“Do it,” he rasped out, another violent cough draining his lungs.</p><p>The voice was gentle, hushing him. “Don’t speak.”</p><p>He couldn’t, even if he wanted to. Everything was swirling and his next sentence was stopped by a gurgle of blood, filling his mouth.</p><p>The last thing he could see was the thing leaning in closer, inspecting his face, before everything was engulfed in darkness.</p><hr/><p>Things were still swirling.</p><p>Or so he thought.</p><p>He blinked at the auburn, wooden ceiling. The pattern resembled those found on wooden logs, swirly and chipped. Which he could only observe through one eye.</p><p>Everything in his right eye was still dark.</p><p>A tremble tore through him, a cough clawing its way out of his parched throat.</p><p>Achingly, he lifted his hand to his mouth, wiping it with his thumb.</p><p>No blood.</p><p>Something was making his nose itch. The smell of cedar and…flowers? Fragrant and sweet, like wild yarrow. There was a hint of a sharper odor mixed in there, of his own sweat and blood.</p><p>Sitting up turned out to be a vicious undertaking.</p><p>Both front and back of his body burned, the pierced holes and cuts still stinging like hell. The bright, green leafy dressing plastered around his bare torso was getting soaked with the dark red from his blood.</p><p>The pain settled it. Somehow, he’d survived.</p><p>It was a pure impulse to rub his right eye, only to rustle more leafy dressing covering it.</p><p>How long had he been out? Did he make it to the village?</p><p>If he had, this was a rather unusual hut. No planks, stone or hay, just an odd wooden structure, like inside the hollow of a tree. The furnishing was scarce, just a couple of wooden shelves with plants, small sacks filled with something he couldn’t discern and odd, gleaming trinkets like coins and gems of various colors. There was an ornamented dagger lying on a lower shelf. Must be worth a fortune. A pile of clothes lay discarded in a corner, dumped on the floor.</p><p>It was a mess.</p><p>The bed itself was oddly big and round, full of grass, dried branches of spruce and some leaves. And <em>feathers.</em> Big, black raven-like ones.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>It all came flooding back. The winged man. His injuries.</p><p>He was in that damn creature’s nest, had to be.</p><p>No time to lose.</p><p>His body throbbed, <em>screaming</em> in pain, as he rolled to the side while leaning on the elbow. With a grunt, he made it to his feet.</p><p>It was weird, only perceiving half of what he used to. Someone could stand just a bit to the side and he wouldn’t see it.</p><p>The next challenge was leaning down to grab that dagger without falling on his ass. Slow and steady, he crouched down, pressing one hand against one of the leaking wounds while gritting his teeth. He couldn’t make too much noise, in case the thing was around somewhere. Yet a hiss of pain escaped him.</p><p>His other hand finally found the handle of the dagger, getting a good grip on it before clambering back up.</p><p>The door turned out to be the most normal thing about this place, despite being round and uneven. Seemed to have no lock or latch as well, because all he had to do was grab the handle and push until it gave way and opened.</p><p>He scrambled out, nearly slipping at the edge.</p><p>Well, shit. He hadn’t been wrong, this was definitely the creature’s nest, if they were up in a damn tree, at <em>least</em> three hundred feet up.</p><p>He lifted his head, surveying the surroundings. The forest seemed tranquil, several other redwood trees in sight. Sunlight filtered down through the treetops, casting shadowy patterns from the swaying leaves.</p><p>It hurt his eyes. Or eye, as it was. He put his hand up, shielding them.</p><p>Leaning slightly over the edge, looking downwards, there seemed to be no ladder nor suitable branches for him to jump down on to.</p><p>“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”</p><p>It was the same voice from his memory. Whipping around and looking up, he found its source. On one of the above, thick branches, the winged man sat perched, looking down at him. His head was tilted while resting his chin on his hand, supported by the elbow against his crouched knee. He looked amused, lips slightly quirked upwards.</p><p>Perhaps enjoying toying with his prey.</p><p>Big mistake, which he could use to his advantage. Let the man think he was the only predator here.</p><p>He lowered the dagger.</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“Well, first off you’d die. Become one big splat”. The winged man clapped his hands together as if to emphasize his point. “Secondly, you’d waste all the effort and time I’ve put into keeping you alive. It’d all be pointless.”</p><p>Heal? So the creature <em>did</em> enjoy a proper hunt.</p><p>“How long have I been out?”</p><p>“About a week. Why? In a rush?”. The man smiled again, one of the black wings flapping out slightly before settling back into a fold behind him.</p><p>“<em>Yes</em>. I take it you’re not going to help me down from here?”</p><p>The winged man hummed. “Not really. At least not yet. It’s impressive though, how quickly you’ve managed to get back on your feet, I’ll give you that. It’s just that you’re <em>bleeding</em>. Those wounds are no joke.”</p><p>It was odd. The creature looked relatively human. No talons, snarling monstrous face or razor-sharp teeth. No fur, just skin. He was even wearing dark, ashen pants that were wide and creased, almost like the lower part of a robe.</p><p>Really, the wings were the only giveaway, the one thing hinting at his inhumanity.</p><p>No matter.</p><p>The creature would show his true nature soon enough, probably with an accompanying transformation into something more hideous.</p><p>“How kind of you, to disregard my will.”</p><p>The smile dropped on the man’s face. “Listen, the chimeras will tear you to shreds. If not, then a pack of timber wolves will get to you. Trust me, they can smell blood from miles away. There’re also still soldiers scouring the woods for any survivors. I take it they’re not you friends, considering they stabbed you in the gut.”</p><p>The man rubbed his neck. “Simply put, it’s a bad idea. You’ve just recovered from the brink of death.”</p><p>His face twitched. If it was from surprise or pain, he wasn’t sure.</p><p>“Were you <em>watching</em> the whole thing?”</p><p>The winged man winced, pausing. “Kind of, yeah. Look-“</p><p>He hurled the dagger, aiming for the head.</p><p>Except it embedded itself into the branch, just next to the winged man’s right foot.</p><p>Holy crap, how could he have aimed so badly?</p><p>There was another throb of pain. When he removed his hand from the wound on his gut, it was soaked.</p><p>Shit. Things were getting dizzy.</p><p>He took a step back, only to trample right on the edge, falling backward.</p><p>Maybe he was doomed to this type of disgraceful death, only having his own stupidity to blame. For following Luthor. For allowing himself to be caught like this.</p><p>The winged man clapping his hands played in his head, now that he was actually about to become a splat on the ground.</p><p>Fuck it. He shut his eye.</p><p>Except there was a swoosh and suddenly hands on his back, lifting his weight. The wings were flapping and obscuring the rays of light.</p><p>“I’m beginning to think you <em>do</em> actually have a death wish.”</p><p>Just like that, they were airborne, heading upwards again. It went so fast that the wind tugged at his cheek. It only took a moment for them to land back on the wooden branch outside the nest.</p><p>He wrapped his hand around the winged man’s neck, but just couldn’t summon enough pressure to choke.</p><p>The winged man grabbed and lowered his hand. Up close, he looked unbelievably human. Yet with unusually good-looking features, smooth face and a beaming smile. The blue eyes seemed vibrant, almost glowing. Strands of raven hair hung down from his face and the sweet scent of a wildflower was back.</p><p>There was no arguing about it, the man was beautiful. Yet it was deceptive. Like a carnivorous plant or siren, seeming alluring to easier lure their prey.</p><p>“Give it some time. You’re not a prisoner, I promise. I just don’t want you to die on my watch, okay?”</p><p>With that, the winged man carried him back to the bird’s nest he called a bed.</p><p>“The name’s Dick by the way.”</p><p>He must’ve been delirious, because he barked out a laugh, despite aggravating the pain.</p><p>Then everything went black again.</p><hr/><p>‘Dick’ was a menace. In every sense of the word.</p><p>During the following weeks, it became a struggle each time Dick tried to clean his wounds or put on new dressings for his wounds made of those weird leaves. He refused to let Slade do it himself. Then there was the fact that he insisted on sleeping together, to keep track of his condition. His stupid wings folded over Slade, making the temperature rise like hell. It was way too hot. Though that might just be the fever talking.</p><p>He’d already plucked out several feathers in revenge but the man just didn’t quit.</p><p>“Sorry about your eye. I mean, the thing was a mess, partly hanging out of the socket, there was no saving it from that. I’m not a miracle worker,” Dick said while slathering on a new patch of leaves on his eye and around his head. “I might have an eye-patch around though, if you’re down for it being used. Found it on a dead body a couple of months back.”</p><p>Spoken like a true scavenger.</p><p>Must’ve been a shame that Slade didn’t have anything of value that he could pilfer and add to his stupid collection.</p><p>It was truly an odd mix of trinkets and he couldn’t make out a pattern on why Dick deemed it collectible. Really, some of it were just useless cloths or copper coins. The dagger that was still embedded into the tree branch, the handful of golden coins and the lustrous gems seemed to be the only things of real value.</p><p>Perhaps it was more of a sentimental thing, like trophies from those he’d killed?</p><p>Dick smiled at him, probably noticing him curling his lip at the shelves.</p><p>“Don’t worry, it’s not stolen. Just things people dropped or left behind after death.”</p><p>‘After death’ sounded ominous. He was feeling even less comfortable with the clothes Dick had provided for him, surely remnants from the dead bodies he’d encountered.</p><p>Or caused.</p><p>“I’d define that as stealing, if the rightful owners trace back their steps only to find their precious gems gone.”</p><p>Dick pouted.</p><p>“Then they shouldn’t have been so careless in the first place, if they truly valued it.”</p><p>Not like he actually cared. It was just amusing to rile him up.</p><p>“So do you speak bird too? Chat around with the robins and crows? Caw a little? Don’t be shy, if you want to sing your heart out.”</p><p>“Real funny. You do realize we probably have more in common with your kind than actual birds?”</p><p>That made his blood boil. He had to bite his lip not to retort something inappropriate.</p><p>Calm and steady. Let the creature get its guard down. When he was well enough to put up a decent fight, he’d make it regret ever bringing him here. He’d faced far worse creatures than this.</p><p>“We’re sentient too. With hopes, dreams, fears. All of it. So quit looking like you think I’m full of-”</p><p>“What exactly do you hope for?” he interrupted.</p><p>That he’d heal quicker so he could properly enjoy tearing him to shreds?</p><p>“Getting you back on your feet for starters. Hey, what was that battle about anyway?”</p><p>Nicely dodged. Whatever, he’d find out sooner or later.</p><p>“The usual. Money, power, territory.”</p><p>“…but these lands don’t belong to anyone.”</p><p>He chuckled.</p><p>“Say that to those greedy pigs trying to rule the world from their castles.”</p><p>Dick just looked confused, eyebrows and face furrowed.</p><p>“C’mon, surely you must have something similar. Someone bossing you around, making this place their own.”</p><p>So far, Dick was the only one he’d seen. Yet that didn’t mean his brethren couldn’t be lurking around somewhere.</p><p>“Well, we do have a leader, if that’s what you mean. But he doesn’t claim ownership over anything or anyone. Just keeps us safe.”</p><p>He snorted.</p><p>“Sounds like bullshit. He must’ve put up a pretty decent façade if you’re buying into it that deeply. Or maybe you’re just that stupid.”</p><p>This time Dick did seem to get angry, face muscles clenching while he glared.</p><p>“Just because you’re not used to it doesn’t mean it can’t exist, <em>Slade</em>. He’s a good man.”</p><p>He froze. How did Dick know his name?</p><p>Dick must’ve deemed him as patched up enough, because he rose and left the nest, flying off like he did sometimes, usually claiming he had errands to run.</p><p>This time he did it without a word.</p><hr/><p>Dick came back the day after. It was as if nothing had happened, when he beamed at him, like he was glad to find Slade awake.</p><p>“Oh wow, you’re wearing the eye-patch. How’re we feeling today?”</p><p>He grunted in response. Bending and twisting his body was excruciating still, not to speak of standing. He still had a fever that made him dehydrated by sweating tons. His throat was sore and the words came out raspy. There was phantom pain in his eye socket and actual pain from the still healing holes and cuts. Limping over to Dick’s pile of stuff on the shelves to fetch the eye-patch had been a great accomplishment.</p><p>“Not great I take it. Gimme a moment, I’ll be right back.”</p><p>Just as soon as he’d arrived, Dick flew off again with a bucket in his hand, only to return shortly later. The bucket was filled with water. It looked rather pristine, not the clogged up, brown water he was used to seeing in the cities.</p><p>He filled Slade’s designated wooden cup to the brim. He’d stopped bothering about whether it was poisoned long ago, just gulping it all down.</p><p>Dick seemed pleased with himself, smiling and hands fidgeting while he sat on his knees, watching Slade.</p><p>“Now lean back. I’ll wash your body.”</p><p>Once again, his nerves sizzled with caution.</p><p>“I can do it myself.”</p><p>“C’mon, it’ll be quicker. Besides, it’s not like it’s the first time.”</p><p>He was starting to feel like a real pushover, because he obliged. He just didn’t want to waste energy on another struggle with Dick, one he was sure to lose.</p><p>Dick washed his body carefully. The cool water was kind of nice against the heated skin, making him shut his eye.</p><p>Then of course, Dick ruined the moment by pestering him with questions. ‘How did the battle start? What are kings and what do they do? How come Slade was involved?’.</p><p>Yet again he gave in, giving curt replies, trying to explain the essence of human politics as simply as he could. When he glanced at him, Dick’s eyes seemed to glisten with excitement, wide and alert. As if he was making mental notes. Like a giddy kid getting a treat.</p><p>This had to be a first. An outsider that was positively intrigued by something as stupid as today’s politics and warfare.</p><p>Then uneven fabric the cloth scraped against his nipple and he grunted.</p><p>Dick gaped at him, backing off. “Did I hurt you?”</p><p>Oh, so that’s how he should’ve played it. Act all hurt and Dick would back off.</p><p>“No,” he gritted out while clenching his jaw.</p><p>Dick observed him curiously before going back to washing, this time even more carefully and slow.</p><p>It was intimidating to have to turn his back to the man. However, the washing of his back went smoothly, Dick humming occasionally in response to his tales and explanations.</p><p>“So, how’d you know my name?” It’d bothered him ever since Dick had uttered it.</p><p>Dick paused for a moment. “You told me.”</p><p>What the hell?</p><p>“When?” he bit out.</p><p>“When I asked, after you first regained consciousness. Granted, you did seem pretty delirious, the things you said-“</p><p>“What else did I say?” This wasn’t just humiliating but <em>dangerous</em>. If he’d given away details about his work killing humans and monsters alike, all his attempts at lowering Dick’s guard would be for naught.</p><p>He twisted his body to fix Dick with a glare.</p><p>Dick opened his mouth to speak.</p><p>Then there was a sudden knock on the door. Both of them froze.</p><p>Dick put a finger up to his lips. “You need to be quiet. Stay out of sight,” he whispered.</p><p>“Why, your daddy doesn’t take kindly to strangers?” he bit out in response.</p><p><em>“Dick, you okay in there?” </em>came a muffled voice before rapping on the door again.</p><p>Dick grabbed his shoulder, squeezing it while locking eyes. “Just do as I say. For both of us.”</p><p>Then he was up on his feet, headed for the door.</p><p>There weren’t exactly many places to hide in this shithole, so he opted for shuffling some leaves and branches over himself, lying down as far to the side as possible.</p><p>Dick squeezed himself out of the door, obscuring Slade from view with his wings.</p><p>“Sorry, just in the middle of something. What’s up, Jay?”</p><p>The door closed and the voices became muffled.</p><p><em>“You didn’t show up today,”</em> the unknown voice said.</p><p>
  <em>“Well, I did tell him I was gonna be late.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You never missed it before. You sure you’re okay? You’ve been absent a lot lately.”</em>
</p><p>Without a doubt someone young. He could hear the pout in the guy’s voice.</p><p>
  <em>“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I just found something really cool that got my attention. But I’ll be over. Promise.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Can I see?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Uh, sorry, I’m still in the middle of cleaning it. I’ll bring it over later, okay?”</em>
</p><p>‘It’ was it? Geez, was he planning on having a family dinner, serving him as the main course? Was that why he was so insistent on cleaning him himself, now that he’d patched him up for what, weeks?</p><p>The guy spluttered, Dick must’ve done something embarrassing.</p><p>
  <em>“Alright, alright. Just make sure you don’t miss the Ascension, okay? B promised it’d be my turn.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh wow, really? He did? That’s huge, congrats Jay! Of course I’ll be there. Oh man, sure brings a tear to my eye. You’ve grown so big, little wing.”</em>
</p><p>He didn’t doubt the fact that Dick was happy, judging by the bounce of joy in his voice. And was that smooching sounds? The guy spluttered again, calling out a <em>“Gross, get away!”</em> before something swooshed.</p><p><em>“Make sure to be there!” </em>came a final call<em>. </em>Then it grew quiet.</p><p>Dick entered, closing the door quickly.</p><p>“Alright, the coast is clear. Sorry about that. They usually don’t come here.”</p><p>He leaned up, shuffling away some of the leaves blanketing his body.</p><p>“Why’s it a problem?” He already got a pretty clear picture of why but he wanted Dick to say it. Needed him to confirm the suspicion.</p><p>“They, uh, wouldn’t understand.” Dick averted his gaze.</p><p>How unusual.</p><p>“Wouldn’t understand what?” he demanded.</p><p>“I already told you. We’re sentient creatures. It’s just that not all humans see it that way. They’ve hurt us. Maimed us. Killed several of us. If anyone found out I brought a human near our roost, there could be serious consequences.”</p><p>“Such as?”</p><p>Dick didn’t reply, biting his lip.</p><p>“I take it by ‘consequences’ you mean they’d lynch me.”</p><p>“No!” Dick said abruptly. “Or I don’t know. Look, it’s complicated. We don’t really meet humans often. It’s never really been a problem. Bruce hasn’t killed anyone, not for as long as I’ve been here. But he’s very protective. They all are. I don’t know what they’d do to you if they found out.”</p><p>He’d seen it many times before. People turning on each other, killing other people out of fear, for survival, for something like food scraps. So much for being a noble people, that just ‘protects’. They just never experienced fear that often but when it reared its ugly head, they’d be sure to chop it off just as quickly as the rest of all forsaken, living beings on this earth.</p><p>He’d tried to contain it but he couldn’t help himself.</p><p>He sneered.</p><p>“So as long as this ‘Bruce’ get his way, he’s not going to kill anyone, is that it? He gets to decide who lives or dies?”</p><p>Dick looked taken aback.</p><p>“No, geez. He’s trying to protect us. Why‘s that so hard for you to understand?”</p><p>“Because his protection probably has and will continue to result in him killing people. That’s just how it works. Violence begets violence. Especially in beings such as yourselves. Whatever noble picture you’ve painted in your head, it’s bullshit.”</p><p>“…that’s not true. If it was, he wouldn’t have risked to take me in after…”</p><p>The words trailed off and Dick covered his face with his hand, looking down.</p><p>Then Dick raised his head defiantly, looking him square in the eye.</p><p>“I don’t know why you’re insisting on being such a jackass. I’m just trying to help.”</p><p>“I never asked for it.”</p><p>Dick sighed, shoulders slightly slumping. As if the air had just gone out of him.</p><p>“Got it. Just…a few more days alright? When you’re steady on your feet. I’ll take you back. I promise.”</p><p>Dick settled down next to him in the nest.</p><p>“Not bringing me along for dinner tonight?”</p><p>Dick looked quizzically at him, frowning.</p><p>“Why would I do that?”</p><p>He shrugged. “Since you mentioned finding ‘something really cool’ and that you’re gonna show it off later.” He gestured, quoting with his fingers in the air.</p><p>Dick gaped at him, a hint of red tinting his cheeks.</p><p>His stomach churned. It was kind of an alluring sight.</p><p>Then his eye landed on the black wings about to fold over him, reminding him of what Dick was.</p><p>“Geez, I didn’t mean <em>you</em>. I’ll just bring a new gem stone or something. You just need to lay low. If someone comes knocking and I’m not here, do<em> not </em>open<em>.</em>”</p><p>Dick laid down on his side but didn’t stop staring a hole into his skull.</p><p>It was getting way too awkward. “What?” he finally asked.</p><p>“Did you ever find something cool out there?”</p><p>“Out where?”</p><p>“When you traveled around. You ever encounter fascinating stuff, things that really caught your attention?”</p><p>How odd. Where was this coming from? Was this something else he’d spilled his guts about?</p><p>“I did, once. Why?”</p><p>Since his kids disappeared, there really hadn’t been much. Nothing he’d ever call fascinating. Things with Adeline had been great at the start, before their relationship took a nosedive. He never spent much time at home. Yet the kids were always great. They never ceased to smile upon his return and were always eager to learn whatever new tricks he could teach them. They’d been sharp, quick to learn. He couldn’t wait to see how they’d turn out when they grew up. When they could join him in his hunts.</p><p>It’d been special, in a way that nothing else will ever be.</p><p>Dick averted his eyes for a second time, fidgeting with the branches of spruce they laid on. It rustled slightly underneath his fingers.</p><p>“Just curious. Figured since you’ve been to so many places, you must’ve gotten to see some cool stuff.”</p><p>Involuntarily, a smile crept up on his face.</p><p>“Well, I did encounter an ogre. Up in Bluehill mountains.”</p><p>Dick’s eyes lit up immediately.</p><p>“Really? What was it like?”</p><p>“Big, brutish. I killed it though. The villagers were getting sick of it smashing them to bits every now and then whenever they dared to venture up the mountain. It was quite the fight, the type of rush that’s not easily forgotten. It could easily throw me off the mountain with a single punch. And its size, the thing really was huge.”.</p><p>He gestured with his hands, stretching them out wide. Dick looked absolutely captivated.</p><p>“How did you win against something like that?”</p><p>Somehow, he got lured into spinning several of his encounters beyond the ogre. The will o’whisps haunting a cabin in the woods. Fighting draugr inside the tombs of Metropolis. The night when he heard whales singing in the oceans up north. Becoming a mercenary. He kept going until he got groggy, sleep calling his name. Dick never seemed to tire, marveling at each tale with an occasional “Wow!” or “Oh crap!” His eyes were wide, locked onto Slade, leaning against his elbow while enveloping Slade with his wing.</p><p>Before he knew it, his eye shut and he was dead to the world.</p><hr/><p>This week had been better than in a long while. He didn’t wake up exhausted, the feverish condition waning away. He’d stopped being damp with sweat each time he awoke. No pounding headache hammering his skull and his strength was finally returning. For a while now, he’d been slowly but surely been getting used to the impaired vision on his right side, learning to compensate for it with his other senses.</p><p>He’d done his best to hide his improved condition, acting like before, like each movement still hurt.</p><p>Today, he felt particularly refreshed.</p><p>Dick was nowhere to be seen when he woke up. However, he must’ve refilled the bucket of water while Slade slept, as it was now full. Next to him there was an array of nuts and grinded flowers.</p><p>‘Delightful snacks’, as Dick liked to call it.</p><p>Which reminded him. Today was the day of the supposed ‘Ascension’ that was happening in his roost, whatever that entailed.</p><p>It was a blessing to actually be able to stand up properly. Just a few lingering stings and aches but nothing he wouldn’t recover from. The floor didn’t swirl, he was steady on his feet. Just a bit drained.</p><p>Now things were going to change. He’d get out of here, no matter what. It was time to test Dick, whether he’d actually deliver on his promise or turn on him.</p><p>Whatever the result, he’d be ready.</p><p>The image played in his head, him stabbing Dick in the neck.</p><p>For some reason, something about it made him queasy.</p><p>Dick’s fellow people could clearly not be trusted.</p><p>Yet Dick seemed different.</p><p>Maybe something was wrong with Dick’s brain, something that made him resist his urge to hunt and maim humans, instead opting to befriend them. A goofball without malicious intent. Mesmerizing but naïve.</p><p>However, he couldn’t afford the risk.</p><p>He walked out on the branch, eyeing the dagger still stuck to the tree. It wasn’t too far up. The branches upwards were closer than those far downwards.</p><p>It would still require a jump. If he missed…</p><p>No matter. He didn’t have anything to lose anyway and he needed that dagger.</p><p>He could make it, he’d done crazier jumps. He was ready for this.</p><p>He leaped, throwing himself at the nearest branch.</p><p>His hands got a grip on it, digging his fingers and nails into it with as much force as possible. His muscles screamed at the extraneous activity. All it’d endured lately was his attempts at crunches and pushups whenever Dick was away.</p><p>Screw it. He was going to make it up this branch or it’d have to be the death of him.</p><p>He curled his arms, lifting himself upwards until he could fling a leg up, clambering onto the branch. When he glanced down, the height made him a bit woozy.</p><p>Just one more, then he’d reach it.</p><p>With the adrenaline pumping through him, he clambered up the next branch.</p><p>Finally.</p><p>The dagger was imbedded rather deep but he still managed to pull it out in one move.</p><p>The tides were turning. Fuck fate. After all the shit he’d lived through, he sure wasn’t going to end up as dinner for some crazy Raven-folk.</p><p>Jumping down turned out to be easier, he just had to withstand the impact of his feet hitting the wood of each branch. It did make his pain flare up, wounds throbbing a bit.</p><p>Eventually he was back on the wooden branch outside Dick’s nest.</p><p>Now all he had to do was wait.</p><hr/><p>It took hours and the sun setting before there was a familiar flap outside.</p><p>He laid down in the nest, laying to the side and feigning sleep, all the while clutching the grip of the dagger in his fist, nestling it underneath a branch of spruce.</p><p>There was some creaking, when Dick pushed the door open and closed it. </p><p>The footsteps were soft and slow, as if he was trying to be as quiet as possible.</p><p>The branches of spruce rustled and dipped, as Dick crouched onto it.</p><p>Showtime.</p><p>He turned over, wrapping one leg over Dick’s waist, who yelped. He twisted until he rolled on top, jamming his knee down on Dick’s left elbow. Dick grunted in pain.</p><p>In an instant, he had the dagger placed at Dick’s jugular.</p><p>With as much menace as he could muster, he loomed over Dick. He used his body weight to press even harder to pin Dick down, even pushing the tip of the blade closer, grazing Dick’s throat. His hand gripped Dick’s right shoulder tightly, holding it down.</p><p>Dick swallowed, face contorted anxiously while looking up at him with wide eyes, slightly breathless. His wings laid uselessly splayed to the sides.</p><p>They stared at one another.</p><p>“Don’t.”</p><p>It was barely audible but he caught the movement of Dick’s lips.</p><p>“Not what you expected?”</p><p>It came out meaner than he’d intended but Dick aggravated him.</p><p>Dick shut his eyes for a moment. Then he looked up at Slade through his lashes, face twisted slightly as if he was in pain.</p><p>“Not sure what I expected, really. At least not <em>this</em>.”</p><p>Dick shuddered when the dagger grazed his throat again. It was a look he’d seen many times.</p><p><em>Fear</em>.</p><p>Yet Dick didn’t break eye contact. In fact, it almost seemed defiant.</p><p>What an odd mix.</p><p>“Goes to show how stupid you are, inviting an enemy into your nest with open arms.”</p><p>“…you’re not my enemy.”</p><p>He tightened his grip on Dick’s shoulder, making him wince. The plan had been simple: force Dick to take him to the village. But something vile surged through him, like acid, a rush of anger.</p><p>“Geez, thickheaded aren’t you. I <em>kill</em> monsters.”</p><p>He watched the muscles in Dick’s face clench, tightening.</p><p>“Do you hate me?” Dick suddenly asked, gaze never wavering, not even when he pressed the blade closer, nearly deep enough to draw blood.</p><p>Then Dick grew limp, stopped pushing back. Like he wasn’t going to struggle, resigning to whatever fate awaited.</p><p>Was it a ploy?</p><p>“I hate you. I hate you all. Humans are shitty enough but then monsters like you have to come along, unbalancing the scales even further. Your fucking claws, jagged teeth and supernatural strength. And wings. They <em>disgust</em> me.”</p><p>He hated it. The way Dick’s face softened, Dick’s hand brushing against his own that was pinning down his shoulder. That look of utter pity. That was not what he was going for at all.</p><p>It was unbearably human.</p><p>Why? Why the fuck didn’t Dick have razor teeth? Or claws, spikes, anything really that could hint at his predatory nature.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“You don’t even know what you’re fucking sorry for. It’s bullshit, that’s what it is. ‘Sentient’ my ass. Just means you can get more creative while maiming and killing. Be smarter about choosing prey. Prolong it for your sick enjoyment.”</p><p>The hand gripping the dagger twitched.</p><p>“Like gutting kids.”</p><p>Dick’s eyes widened again, opening his mouth.</p><p>“Slade, I’d never – “</p><p>“Shut up,” he bit out.</p><p>He shook Dick’s shoulder, pressing harder with his knee on Dick’s elbow. Dick grunted in pain, eyes squinting briefly.</p><p>“You’re not the only one!” Dick said suddenly, making him freeze.</p><p>Dick glanced sideways at his trapped arm, trying to writhe and twist it away slightly, before settling down again.</p><p>“Your kind has numbers. Weapons unlike anything we’ve seen before. Tools that can-…that can…<em>rip</em> us apart. Slowly.”</p><p>All of a sudden, Dick quieted down, eyes downcast while mumbling.</p><p>“We just wanna live. Like you do. Why’s that so hard for you to understand?”</p><p>An avalanche of retorts came to mind. That they’d just feed on any humans that got close, like the blood-thirsty beasts that they were. Like the damn monster that took his kids, that took <em>pleasure</em> in ripping their guts out of their bodies. The thing even had the balls to hang the entrails like a garland around the kitchen.</p><p>It must’ve had fun, toying with the organs of his kids and wife, tearing their arms off when they’d grabbed whatever weapons they could to defend themselves.</p><p>But not nearly as much fun as when he’d hunted it down and tore that thing apart himself, piece by piece, even as it could speak and beg for mercy, crying. The fact that it was sentient enough to feel fear, to understand what was happening, it was the <em>greatest</em>.</p><p>It was an endless cycle of hunter and hunted, sorting out the weak from the strong. Co-existing wasn’t an option.</p><p>Even if it was, he wasn’t sure he wanted it.</p><p>Dick’s voice brought him out of his reverie.</p><p>“Those monsters that killed my parents…they were <em>humans</em>. But you know what? I don’t blame entire species for it, like a stupid jackass.”.</p><p>Dick glared at him, struggling even more now that Slade had inadvertently leaned back a bit, distancing the dagger a bit from his throat.</p><p>“So would you please –“</p><p>A laugh tore out of him. Dick stiffened underneath him, staring in shock.</p><p>Seriously, who was he kidding?</p><p>He’d known from the first couple of days that Dick was nothing like the previous type of creatures he’d encountered. </p><p>Like a stubborn mule, he’d resisted it.</p><p>“You got me.” He smiled, leaning down over Dick, dagger still close to his throat.</p><p>Dick still frowned at him, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.</p><p>He leaned back to cast the dagger aside. It cluttered to the floor.</p><p>“Oh, thank-“</p><p>He didn’t let Dick finish, diving down and devouring his mouth while still holding him in place.</p><p>Dick’s surprised yelp was muffled by their connected mouths. He just slotted them together firmly. Dick’s lips were soft to the touch. The hand that’d held the dagger wandered to Dick’s hair, weaving his fingers through the silky strands, before holding onto the back of his head.</p><p>He removed his knee from Dick’s elbow, instead laying down and pressing their bodies together.</p><p>His hand moved from Dick’s shoulder down to the hip, getting a good grip and arching Dick’s body up to meet his, increasing the contact between their lower bodies.</p><p>Dick’s wings flapped.</p><p>The reaction was delightful, because it belonged to Dick. Stupidly attractive, genuine to a fault Dick. Not a monster yet not a human. The only being to spark his interest again in a long time.</p><p>For now, he just wanted to devour every inch, now that nothing was holding him back anymore.</p><p>Except Dick was clawing at his shoulder, pushing against it.</p><p>Dick gasped for air when he backed off, breaking the kiss.</p><p>“What the hell?” Dick spluttered. He looked gorgeous, all flushed and panting, his eyes that were as blue as some of the gems he liked to hoard, staring up in awe.</p><p>He just grinned, still lying on top of Dick.</p><p>“Geez, you’re all over the place, aren’t you? One minute you’re gonna slit my neck and the next you’re trying to smooch me to death.”</p><p>“Which one do you prefer?”</p><p>“Definitely the latter.”</p><p>He hummed in agreement, going back in again. However, Dick shot up his hand, blocking his mouth.</p><p>“Seriously, Slade. Are we good?”</p><p>It came out quiet, nearly a murmur. Dick looked serious, his eyes searching his face.</p><p>He leaned back, giving Dick some space. Not too much though, still capturing him with his body weight. Wouldn’t want him to escape. Not until they’d settled this, whatever it was.</p><p>“We are.”</p><p>“No more daggers to the throat?”</p><p>“Well, as long as you keep from being a pain in the ass.”</p><p>Dick didn’t look amused.</p><p>“No more daggers. Promise,” he finally conceded.</p><p>Dick regarded him quietly, the previous scowl melting away.</p><p>Then suddenly Dick surged up, crashing their mouths together while wrapping his arms around Slade’s shoulders. This time Dick willingly opened his mouth up for a deeper kiss.</p><p>That was all the sign he needed. Now all that remained was taking his fill. He grabbed Dick by the hips again, grinding against him.</p><p>Dick snuck a hand underneath his shirt, tracing his ribs until he came upon one of his previous wounds. Then he stopped the kiss, pulling back, looking down between them.</p><p>“Wait, you sure you’re up for this?”</p><p>He liked the implication of whatever Dick meant with 'this'. Not so much being treated like a fragile doll. He’d healed nicely over the last weeks, much thanks to Dick’s help and whatever strange leaves Dick had pressed against the flesh as dressings rather than stitching the wound.</p><p>He put a knuckled finger under Dick’s jaw, lifting it to face him.</p><p>“I’m sure.”</p><p>Dick lifted his own hand to Slade’s face, caressing it before lingering around the edge of his eyepatch.</p><p>He grabbed the hand and slammed it down next to Dick’s face, startling Dick.</p><p>No more games.</p><p>He captured Dick’s mouth in another kiss, his other hand finding its way inside Dick's trousers, stroking Dick’s thigh and inching upwards. Dick shuddered, a small, muffled whimper spilling out between their mouths.</p><p>It turned to a moan when he kneaded Dick’s erection, then gripping it in a firm hold, giving it a light tug. It was adorable, the way Dick’s free hand clutched his shoulder and how he writhed underneath him, like he didn’t know what to do with himself, as he tugged the clothed erection again and kissed him hard.</p><p>Heat swelled inside, pooling in his lower body, when they pulled apart. Dick was flushed, eyes half-lidded and lips looking slick and tender. He couldn’t help himself from grinding their groins together again, his own member straining against the fabric. Dick bit his lip, trying to contain another groan.</p><p>His hand on Dick’s wrist tightened.</p><p>The door opened.</p><p>Both of them froze.</p><p>He’d been too focused to register the muted flutter of wings flapping outside.</p><p>Standing in the doorway was a young man with black hair and tuft of white strands at the front, silhouetted by the moonlight. His wings were equally black with flecks of white. There were odd dark-brownish symbols painted across the man’s torso and snaking down the arms. The young mad had frozen in his step, eyes gone wide as he stared at them.</p><p>Well, shit.</p><p>The man <em>lunged</em>, looking furious.</p><p>He scrambled backward, when the man’s hands twisted and transformed mid-motion into actual talons. The claws swiped where his head had just been, wind hitting his face.</p><p>“Jason, stop!” Dick called out, scrambling to get up.</p><p>The man, Jason, was already cornering him.</p><p>Jason swiped clumsily, but the attacks were swift. He wouldn’t have much more room to dodge.</p><p>No way but forward then.</p><p>He grabbed one of Jason’s wrists mid-strike, pulling him forward while dodging to the right. The force of his pull and the knee he delivered to Jason’s back was enough to make the man stumble into the wall. Jason had to pause his attack to brace himself against it.</p><p>He bent down and picked up the dagger, just outside the nest on the floor. In the corner of his eye, Dick seemed to have gotten to his feet and moved to intervene.</p><p>Jason must’ve recovered quickly, because he was just a step away, bull rushing him.</p><p>He couldn’t dodge this one. Instead he parried one talon while grabbing on to the man’s wrist with his other hand, keeping both talons at bay.</p><p>They struggled, pushing against one another, Jason trying to get close enough to claw his face off and him trying to create enough space to launch a heavy enough kick to the stomach.</p><p>Then they were airborne. Without his feet lodged to the ground, he couldn’t resist as well. Jason managed to pull his talon back from where it’d met Slade’s dagger and he swiped again. He barely got the dagger up in time but the claws were way too close.</p><p>Then they were moving forward through the air, towards the entrance.</p><p>Oh fuck.</p><p>He clutched the wrist tightly, trying to get enough leverage to push the other talon back.</p><p>Then the man’s feet started morphing into talons as well.</p><p>He didn’t want to do it. But the man wasn’t giving him much choice. He couldn’t possibly defend against four talons and from being forced to fall to his death, at least not at the same time with a damn <em>dagger</em>. They were already outside above the branch. Soon there’d be nothing to land on.</p><p>Using his feet, he kicked the elbow of Jason’s left arm, pushing the left talon away, freeing the dagger. In an instant, he had it lodged against Jason’s throat.</p><p>“Yield.”</p><p>“Fuck you,” Jason spat out, raising his now free arm to swipe at Slade again. Dammit, he hadn’t kicked it hard enough.</p><p>“Don’t!” Dick called out from somewhere close. He wasn’t sure which of them he was talking to.</p><p>Dick’s conversation with Jason played in his head, the affection in his voice while talking about his upcoming Ascension.</p><p>He let go.</p><p>Jason wasn’t fast enough to land the swipe, as Slade began to spiral downwards.</p><p>Just a moment later, something grabbed his arm, halting his fall and making him hang freely mid-air.</p><p>Dick clutched his arm tightly. The black wings nearly enveloped him, as they flapped, trying to move them upwards against towards the wide branch outside the nest.</p><p>“Good catch. I’ll tear that bastard apart.”</p><p>Dick gasped as Jason descended on them.</p><p>“No-!” was all Dick managed to yell as Jason got into position next to them, about to swipe down again at Slade’s torso.</p><p>Shit. He’d have to use the dagger after all. Since Jason's body was out of reach, he held it up, about to throw it.</p><p>He did, just as Jason's arm closed in, swiping.</p><p>Suddenly, Jason was covered from view and the blade embedded itself into Dick’s right wing. Dick had already twisted his body, covering Slade with his back against Jason.</p><p>It was immediately apparent when Jason’s claws seared into Dick’s back and inner wing, because Dick let out a shout of pain and his face twisted, jaw clenching.</p><p>His grip on Slade’s arm slipped.</p><p>Jason called out Dick’s name from behind the wing.</p><p>Then the grip once again fastened around his wrist.</p><p>“I got you,” Dick bit out between gritted teeth.</p><p>He looked terribly strained, as he desperately tried to move them upwards. The flapping of his wings had become slower and lacked power, making them almost hover in the air.</p><p>Jason’s hands transformed back into hands that moved in to support Dick, wrapping around Dick’s shoulder and upper torso, using his own wings to help them fly up.</p><p>Drops of blood streamed down Dick’s sides, a few of them hitting his face as he hung below.</p><p>He kept his eye glued to Dick. He was still conscious but his breathing was ragged.</p><p>Like that, they made it back to the branch outside the nest.</p><p>Dick slumped down to his knees, Jason holding onto him from behind and lowering him carefully, while Dick’s still clutched Slade’s arm.</p><p>He crouched down next to Dick.</p><p>“I’m good, s’fine.” Dick mumbled.</p><p>Blood dripped onto the wooden surface.</p><p>Dick had an iron grip on his arm but he unclasped the hand wrapped around it, peeling the fingers off, getting to his feet.</p><p>First things first was pulling out the dagger embedded into Dick’s right wing.</p><p>“Don’t move,” Jason bit out, staring at him with narrowed eyes, still supporting Dick.</p><p>“You wanna let him sit there and bleed? How about you stay put while I get this thing out of him,” he bit back, pointing at the dagger.</p><p>Jason didn’t seem to keen on letting him get to the dagger, shifting dangerously.</p><p>Then Dick groaned and Jason’s eyes flitted back to Dick.</p><p>The momentarily distraction was enough. He gripped the handle of the dagger, taking it out as quick as possible in one pull.</p><p>Dick grunted in pain loudly through clenched teeth, clutching at Jason for comfort.</p><p>Jason seemed unsure where to focus, turning his head back and forth between Dick and Slade. It was only when Slade turned around halfway, about to walk away back into Dick’s nest, that Jason seemed to relax.</p><p>As soon as he was out of view, he tucked the dagger under his belt at the back, using his shirt to hide it.</p><p>It was easy to spot the bunched-up pile dressings discarded on the floor, the ones Dick had used on his wounds. He’d become all too familiar with the big green leaves over the weeks they’d spent together.</p><p>As he walked back, he noted how Jason had moved to sit beside Dick.</p><p>He couldn’t make out what they said at first.</p><p>“-left the Ascension early, I figured something was off. When I entered it looked like-…like he was…I’m sorry.”</p><p>It all came tumbling out. Dick smiled at Jason.</p><p>“S’ okay, Jay. Just don’t hurt him. Please.”</p><p>Dick caressed Jason’s face, before leaning his head down against Jason’s shoulder, rubbing his face against it.</p><p>It was intimate in a way that made something twinge inside of him, some childish desire get in there and break them apart.</p><p>In an instant, he kneeled beside Dick, dressing the big gash across Dick’s back that bled profusely. The slash had gotten to parts of his wings too, close to the base where they were attached to his body.</p><p>The green leaves were quickly soaked in red, as he put them on the wound.</p><p>Jason watched him carefully as he dressed it, holding Dick close with one hand while the other was free, probably ready to claw him.</p><p>Shit. The amount of leaves he’d brought was not nearly enough.</p><p>He glanced at Dick while standing up. Dick’s breathing began to even out. He seemed conscious, based on the hisses he let out as soon as there was contact with his wound.</p><p>When he went to fetch some more leaves and was about to walk out the door, there was the sound of something swooshing through the darkness, multiple wings flapping.</p><p>The moonlight illuminated two shapes landing on the platform. There was another black-haired young man with grey wings and a young woman with flaming red hair and white wings.</p><p>They rushed over to Dick and Jason.</p><p>“What happened? Is he okay?”</p><p>Then their eyes landed on him in the doorway.</p><p>“Is that…” the man with the greyish wings started.</p><p>“A human, yes,” Jason bit out. He lifted his gaze from Dick, instead glaring at him, raising his chin defiantly. It was the same stormy look from when they’d fought before.</p><p>He sneered right back. Dick wouldn’t be lying there with a shredded back and hole in his wing if it weren’t for this bastard.</p><p>“Take him to Bruce, then? Dammit, this was not what I expected when you ran off from your Ascension. Maybe scuffling with Dick for bailing, but a <em>human</em>?” the white-winged woman said, regarding him curiously, tilting her head like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.</p><p>“Yeah, seize him.” Jason gestured with his head at him for the others to grab him.</p><p>The little shit.</p><p>“I suppose the fact that <em>he</em> was the one who brought me, keeping me here willingly, wouldn’t change your minds? That he has remained <em>unharmed</em>, until your friend’s sudden interference.”.</p><p>“Dick’s not a great judge of character,” Jason said with seemingly as much hostility he could muster.</p><p>“Yeah, I can tell. If he associates with deranged monsters that’d claw him to death.”</p><p>“Or one-eyed lunatics that’d assault and stab him,” Jason countered.</p><p>“For shit’s sake, I’m sitting right here,” Dick said suddenly, lifting his head lazily off Jason’s shoulder like he’d just woken up. “My judgment’s perfectly fine, thank you.”</p><p>It surprised them. Dick had been quiet for so long that the natural conclusion was that he’d fallen unconscious.</p><p>Dick turned his head to the other two.</p><p>“Tim. Babs. C’mon. He’s not bad, trust me. Just let me-“ Dick twisted his body a bit, trying to shift away from where Jason was holding onto him, but hissed in pain again, wincing.</p><p>He looked pale.</p><p>The other two seemed to waver, frozen in their spots, exchanging worried glances between themselves and at Dick.</p><p>“Sorry, but this isn’t for us to decide.” The grey-winged man, Tim he presumed, rubbed a hand over his face. “Geez Dick, this could endanger the whole roost. What the hell were you thinking?” At that, Tim gestured at Slade.</p><p>Dick’s face fell.</p><p>Well, he appreciated the effort but he’d figured he was shit out of luck as soon as they’d landed here.</p><p>They approached carefully, hands stretched out and fingers spread, probably ready to bring forth their talons.</p><p>“Watch out for a dagger,” Jason warned.</p><p>It’d been worth a try.</p><p>Dick, the idiot, tried to get to his feet. However, Jason held onto him, keeping him put with his arms wrapped around Dick’s shoulder. Dick grabbed the hands, trying to dislodge them, but Jason grabbed a hold of his hands as well.</p><p>“Dick, calm down. We’re just taking him to Bruce, alright?”, Tim said when he noticed Jason struggling to keep Dick still.</p><p>At this rate, he’d fuck up the leaves that they’d just patched him up with.</p><p>“It’s fine,” he rumbled.</p><p>All of them looked at him in shock.</p><p>“I’ll go.” He glanced at Dick, who was still staring at him with wide eyes.</p><p>Even if he defeated them, he’d still be trapped here. Dick was in no condition to help him escape.</p><p>“But I’m keeping the dagger.”</p><p>He wasn’t sure what he was walking into, but perhaps he could bargain or potentially overpower their leader.</p><p>Into the hornet’s nest it was.</p><hr/><p>Whenever he’d hear the mention of their 'roost', he’d imagined a litter of nests scattered among the trees, just like bird’s nests.</p><p>Yet when the female, referred to as ‘Babs’ by Dick, uttered “We’re here”, he looked around only to see nothing out of the ordinary. Just the monstrously big, thick trees and their large, winding branches full of green and bushy leaves.</p><p>She soared a bit upwards, even higher up towards the treetops. There was a buzz of voices, that got louder and louder. It sounded festive, echoes of laughs.</p><p>There, he finally saw it. No nests but defined, carved-out holes in the trees, most of them open wide, illuminated by nearby lanterns. Just like Dick’s place except a whole lot of them.</p><p>Unlike Dick’s however, there were plenty of carved, glowing symbols, on the trees.</p><p>The air was infested with several of the winged-creatures. There was also quite a few of them lingering on the branches outside their supposed homes, observing as they passed through. Some even gasped or hollered “What happened?”, “Is everything okay?”. A child-creature pointed at him and Babs, calling out “Look mama, no wings!”, only for the mother to pull him back and covering the child behind her wing.</p><p>They were surrounded.</p><p>He tightened his grip wrapped around her shoulders. It was shameful, letting Babs give him a piggyback ride. Still, rather a fool than easily slaughtered cattle. Her talons couldn’t reach him easily, not before he’d get a proper hold on her neck, either snapping it or getting a chokehold depending on the circumstances, perhaps forcibly steer her into a nearby tree in case he needed to make a quick exit.</p><p>Or he’d end things quickly with the dagger.</p><p>The others had opposed at first. It was admirable and actually heightened his opinion of them. Not that stupid after all. Yet she’d insisted it was okay if this was the only way to get him to Bruce without a fight.</p><p>Perhaps overconfident in their abilities and numbers, branding him as a weak human. Or maybe she actually had faith in Dick’s judgment. Either one was foolish.</p><p>However, Tim hovered quite close above them the whole ride. Presumably ready to dig his claws into him if he tried anything.</p><p>Figures he’d have to compromise on something.</p><p>Jason and Dick lagged behind. Jason did his best to support Dick by holding onto his lower back, while Dick had his arm wrapped around the back of Jason’s shoulder. Jason held onto his wrist and seemingly did most of the flying, as Dick’s wings barely moved or flapped at all.</p><p>Dick had refused to stay behind despite his bleeding back, even if Tim had done his best to persuade him.</p><p>Several of the winged-creatures approached, offering to help carry Dick, but Jason declined them all, even abruptly telling some to beat it through clenched teeth. Jason was probably still rattled, lashing out like a brat.</p><p>His jaw clenched. The greatest shame had been to let such an inexperienced, impulsive bastard get the best of him. Even if he envisioned the fight going differently had he access to his full gear and was back to full strength, it was still a disgrace. A lot of things had been humiliating as of late. Damn Luthor, those shitty soldiers and now this.</p><p>Time to change things.</p><p>Babs seemed to be going for a landing on a particularly big platform, deeper into the roost. Underneath them was a huge carved symbol that glowed, bigger than the ones they’d previously passed by. The image seemed to be something spreading its wings, possibly a bird or a bat, though he wasn’t sure which it resembled more.</p><p>She landed softly but he felt her body tense when someone approached them. The man was broad, with square shoulders and stiff posture, wings jet-black, even darker than Dick’s and definitely bigger than any he had seen so far.</p><p>This must be their leader, Bruce. Without a doubt. An older man trailed after, coming to a stop slightly behind as Bruce halted.</p><p>He slid off the woman’s back and she stepped away to stand next to Tim that’d just landed alongside them.</p><p>The look on Bruce’s face was an absolute scowl, further deepening when his eyes landed on Slade.</p><p>Bruce’s eyes suddenly flicked upwards, as if he was looking up over Slade’s shoulder.</p><p>There was a thud behind and when he turned, Jason and Dick stood there. Dick was still worn-out, looking pale and strained.</p><p>When he glanced back at Bruce, the man was <em>glaring</em>, lips drawn into a thin line.</p><p>It was quite easy to picture what he was imagining.</p><p>“Inside.” were the first words out of his mouth. It wasn’t uttered in a loud voice but it still boomed, cutting through the silence. “Alfred, take Dick.”</p><p>“I’m coming with.” Dick tried to straighten himself, shifting away from Jason. Yet the movement came off as terribly wobbly, further undermined by Dick clenching his face in pain, even blinking a bit as if that would make it go away.</p><p>He was clearly leaning into the grip Jason still had on him.</p><p>Bruce’s eyes were sharp, stormy as a thundercloud. Then he turned his back to them, marching inside the tree.</p><p>Finally, he could walk on his own.</p><p>It was nice to see some of the creatures flinch and move away from them. Intimidating was precisely what he was going for. Tim and the older man called Alfred had already placed themselves between himself and their leader. Babs and another male that’d just arrived flanked his sides.</p><p>The place was a lot tidier than Dick’s, yet empty of furnishing for the most part. It didn’t have a homey feeling, no nest or similar place to sleep. Just a wooden table, a couple of chairs and feathers hanging like ornaments from the ceiling with different shapes and colors. There were several wooden containers lined up against the wall, each with a different glowing symbol.</p><p>A more primitive equivalent to a city hall or storage, perhaps.</p><p>Bruce planted himself at the edge of the room, just in front of the table, Tim plastering himself beside Bruce as Alfred fetched more green, medicinal leaves from a wooden box before walking over to Dick.</p><p>As for himself, he just crossed his arms and stared down Bruce.</p><p>Once they were all gathered, Bruce uttered “What happened?”</p><p>“Dick’s brought a human to his nest,” Tim started.</p><p>The glare was re-directed towards where Dick, Jason and Alfred were standing, Alfred still inspecting Dick’s wounds and previous, blood-soaked wrappings.</p><p>“To help him,” Dick bit out. “He was injured. I wasn’t going to keep him there forever and I certainly never meant to bring him here.”</p><p>“What was the plan then? Patch him up and send him on his way, never telling any of us?”</p><p>Despite the immense scowl on his face, Bruce's voice was surprisingly tempered.</p><p>“Is that so bad?”</p><p>This time, Jason flared up. “Are you out of your fucking mind? Of course it is! He’d run and fetch his friends to hunt us or burn everything to the ground.”</p><p>A chuckle escaped him. All eyes immediately shifted their focus to him.</p><p>“Those are good ideas, actually.”</p><p>“Slade-“, Dick tried to interrupt, probably trying to do some damage control.</p><p>“Honestly though, I don’t give a crap. There’s other business that requires my attention. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s a war going down right at your front step. If anything’s gonna burn this place to the ground, it’ll be that. Or the next war that comes after that. Or an angry mob of people who’ll hunt you down for eating one of their kids as breakfast.”</p><p>He shrugged.</p><p>“So yeah, the <em>plan</em> wasn’t going to have any of the consequences you imbeciles like to imagine. Though I bet you’d love any excuse to murder more humans, don’t you?”</p><p>He stabbed his finger at Jason.</p><p>“<em>He </em>attacked us. As in one of your own clawed his back to pieces because he didn’t have an <em>ounce</em> of self-control. Not one tiny bit. That’s what’s going to get you all killed if you behave like damn beasts.”</p><p>The tension in the room was thick and Bruce wasn’t the only one scowling at him. However, it didn’t phase him one bit. If they got riled up and lashed out, they’d only be proving his point.</p><p>“You motherfuck-“, Jason started but he cut him off.</p><p>“Let’s face it, you’re in deep shit already. I’m not what you need to be worried about.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>It came out low but he hadn’t misheard Bruce saying it. There was a quick flash of tiredness that seeped through as Bruce rubbed his face before returning his stare with a stony face.</p><p>“It hasn’t escaped our attention. Nor the fact that more and more hunters such as yourself are roaming the country, Sir Wilson.”</p><p>Well, this was a surprise. Sure, he had name recognition within the Hunter’s Guild and various warlords, but with monsters as well? How delightful.</p><p>Dick seemed surprised as well, slightly gaping at him, eyes going back and forth between him and Bruce.</p><p>“Yes, I know your kind. I know that coin isn’t the sole factor that drives many of you. I’ve witnessed it first-hand. So forgive me for having doubts.”</p><p>Just like that, he knew he wasn’t walking out of here. Bruce had made that perfectly clear.</p><p>The man turned to Jason with a steely gaze.</p><p>“Is it true? Did you do this?” He gestured at Dick.</p><p>Jason’s face fell downwards and he seemed to scramble for words.</p><p>“That’s because he was assaulting Dick, and Dick got-!”</p><p>Dick spluttered and interrupted, squirming in Jason’s hold. Alfred held his shoulder and motioned for him to keep still.</p><p>“Geez, he <em>didn’t</em>! He’s not like that, okay? Trust me. What happened was just an accident, I was trying to mediate and crap went sideways. Nothing more to it.”</p><p>He couldn’t keep the grin from his face. It was cute, the way Dick was fumbling to talk around what had happened.</p><p>Bruce gave Jason a stern look.</p><p>“You’ve just gone through your Ascension, you’re an adult now. That necessitates thoughtfulness if you’re going to help protect the future of our people. One careless mistake is enough to bring everything crumbling to the ground.”</p><p>Bruce admonishing Jason made things even better.</p><p>Not so much, when he glared at Dick.</p><p>“Same goes for you. You’ve endangered us all, regardless of your intentions. Your Ascension was <em>years</em> ago. You should’ve left him to the villagers.”</p><p>“He’d have died!“, Dick began to protest.</p><p>“Perhaps. Or he’d have lived. Either way, by bringing him <em>here</em> you’ve meddled with something you can’t control. The price won’t be just yours to pay.”</p><p>Bruce’s stony face softened while watching Dick bite his lip.</p><p>“I know you mean well. However, baring our throats to humans will just enable a slaughter. They aren’t ready yet, and we don’t have any more room for mistakes.”</p><p>It was as if he was talking over Slade’s head, like humans were the beasts in this equation.</p><p>“…you taught me to do what’s right. To <em>help</em>.”</p><p>The tiredness seeped through Bruce’s face again.</p><p>“I did. And the right thing to do is to help our people survive. Your <em>family</em>.”</p><p>Dick fell quiet.</p><p>The fear and bestial supremacy oozing through that speech was pitiful. Yet he was all too familiar with how far a hunt could go, the desire to root every single bastard out.</p><p>Bruce looked away, facing Slade instead.</p><p>“You’ll remain in our custody until things are settled.”</p><p>“And by ‘settled’ you mean…?”</p><p>“When we’re ready to release you.”</p><p>A life sentence then.</p><p>“How about <em>no</em>?”</p><p>The stance of Babs and the other man next to him tensed, turning on him at once, ready to strike. Something shuffled in the corner of his eye, Jason dislodging himself from Dick and leaving him to Alfred.</p><p>“It wasn’t a question.”</p><p>His lips quirked up. Shit, it was all just too funny. Acting like this was some sort of court, where they could sentence him to whatever they liked and he’d just stand there and take it.</p><p>So much for bargaining. Damn, arrogant beasts. He’d rather die in battle than waste away in their shitty prison.</p><p>He shifted his body to cover the movement of his hand, inching toward the dagger tucked behind his back.</p><p>“Slade.”</p><p>His hand twitched, stopping.</p><p>Dammit.</p><p>He turned around halfway, facing Dick, who’d torn away from Alfred and had come closer, just a couple of feet away.</p><p>His blue orbs seemed knowing and held Slade’s gaze. Each step Dick took was deliberately slow, like he was approaching a manticore.</p><p>Just like that, Dick lifted his hand, fingers brushing against his knuckles and upper hand, the one heading for the dagger.</p><p>He had a good mind to slap it away. He wouldn’t be coerced. Not like this.</p><p>Dick gripped his hand.</p><p>“You promised.”</p><p>It didn’t click at all. He furrowed his brows, trying to read Dick’s face. What was he getting at?</p><p>Oh. Oh- <em>For fuck’s sake.</em></p><p>“That pertained to you alone,” he gritted out.</p><p>That was the only throat he’d promise to spare.</p><p>“They’re family.”</p><p>This was ridiculous. He wasn’t seriously going to stand here and allow a bunch of bird-monsters to imprison him, just because Dick said so.</p><p>Yet there he was. The shitty, stupidly <em>obnoxious</em> Dick, putting all his remaining strength in standing tall before him, even as his back and wing must be burning with pain.</p><p>Just to face Slade properly.</p><p>“It’s going to be okay, just bear with it for now.” Dick smiled. Like everything was fine and dandy.</p><p>He could swear that Dick had to be some kind of incubus. A one so bad at what he did that he was actually good, spewing that optimistic bullshit despite having nothing to show for it.</p><p>Yet it still managed to be convincing somehow.</p><p>He rubbed his face in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. Fuck Dick. Fuck all of them.</p><p>Several of their onlookers seemed transfixed by Dick holding his hand. Bruce looked like he was getting cramps from seeing it, face furrowed with a dissatisfied downwards quirk of his lips.</p><p>He tugged his hand out of Dick’s hold, lifting his chin defiantly at Bruce.</p><p>“Well then, you fiends got a dungeon?”</p><hr/><p>Why was he even surprised?</p><p>Of course, bird prison meant being put in the highest spot available. That spot being on top of a cliff on one of the nearby mountains. He’d thought that he couldn’t get higher up than those monstrous trees yet here he was proven dead wrong. ‘Dead’ being the crux here. There was no scaling these walls. The only cover from the howling wind was the shallow grotto behind him if it could even be called that.</p><p>That bastard Bruce must’ve ordered his winged guards to keep their distance, because all they did was to keep watch from nearby trees, far out of reach. That crossed taking a hostage off the list, for now. The bastards had grinned as they threw him a blanket, a wooden bucket and a pack of dried meat, hovering far above him like fucking flies. They must be enjoying this, feeding him like a dog. Shit. If he’d still had the dagger, he’d have made sure to embed it into one of their skulls.</p><p>The humiliation sparked the anger, reminding him for the umpteenth time of how stupid he’d been for listening to Dick.</p><p>The only source of joy for the last four days since imprisonment had been watching one of the morons get caught in a swarm of robins passing through while patrolling.</p><p>There was only so much training and throwing rocks one could do before going nuts. He was no stranger to time-consuming tasks, like staking out a location and waiting for a prey. However, with that came the thrill of the hunt. This was just sitting on a rock, no goal in sight, <em>no control</em>. Someone else was pulling the strings and he itched to cut them off.</p><p>He was even beginning to doubt his image of Dick. With some distance and no tantalizing distractions, it became clear that he must’ve been in some sort of haze. Just because Dick had nurtured him back to health unconditionally, put a lot of time and effort into it, didn’t mean he owed him anything. Yes, Dick was nice and abnormally gorgeous, so much so that he could disregard the wings, even find them charming at times.</p><p>Yet it was clear as day that he treasured that shitty family of his. Dick must’ve betrayed him surely, with some guidance from daddy dearest.</p><p>And he couldn’t even summon enough energy to be mad about it.</p><p>That’s just how things were, how things would always be. People were ruled by their desires, whether it be protecting one’s own family over others, gold or to conquer. Just like himself.</p><p>He had to rub his face, leaning against the cold, uneven wall of stone at his back. Whatever, things could be worse. He’d just wait it out, surely this bad fortune could be overcome by patience. Like a spider weaving its web, he’d get his chance.</p><p>Well, actually there was one upside. The cliff came with a pretty damn dazzling view of the sun setting, currently coloring the sky like orange flames and oddly shaped splashes of blue and purple.</p><p>Then he heard one of the guards yell.</p><p>He thrashed to his feet, peering out towards the tree line, where the guards were usually perched.</p><p>One of the guards was hovering in the air, wings flapping rather frantically, as the other guard rushed quickly to his aid. He could make out the shape of a smaller figure standing in front of them, holding something wriggly and long.</p><p>Weird. They were quite some distance away yet he could hear the flapping of their wings loud enough.</p><p>“Need a ride?”.</p><p>He whipped around. Dick was just landing on the cliff.</p><p>His traitorous face cracked up in a grin. Then Dick’s face twisted, wincing, as he stilled his wings.</p><p>“Sure that’s a good idea?”</p><p>“It’s the <em>only</em> idea. Hope you don’t mind a bit of turbulence.” Dick walked briskly, grabbing his wrist, guiding his hand to his lower waist.</p><p>“You’ll have to hold onto me.”</p><p>He didn’t need to hear it twice. He embraced Dick from the front, circling his hand around Dick’s lower waist, where the wounds on his back hadn’t reached. Dick wrapped arms around his back as well, clutching him close, as they lifted off the ground as Dick held him up straight.</p><p>Son of a bitch - !</p><p>He nearly jabbed his fingernails into Dick’s back while they straight up <em>fell</em>, spiraling downwards immediately, as Dick shuffled and tried to adjust to the added weight and strain on his back and wounds. Dick’s ragged breathing puffed right next to his ear, sometimes hitching as Dick pushed and flailed his wings as much as he could to stabilize them. He didn’t nearly have as much wing power as before, the flapping considerably slower and unsteady.</p><p>This couldn’t end in anything else than a crash.</p><p>All he could hope for was that Dick had enough power left to dampen the fall, enough for them to avoid critical injuries and before Dick passed out from the exertion.</p><p>His eye flicked between the trees they passed. Maybe they could find a suitable branch.</p><p>Then the damn idiot did it.</p><p>They were hovering in the air, albeit shakenly. The pressure from Dick’s fingers digging into his back was rough.</p><p>Just like that, they drifted past the treetops. Dick groaned in pain, whole body taut like a pulled string.</p><p>He didn’t count. It could’ve been just a few minutes or much more. He just focused on Dick’s labored breaths, the trembles vibrating through his body, each little sound that signaled that he was still conscious and able.</p><p>Dick dipped suddenly and they had another quick fall downwards, much lower below the treetops now.</p><p>Then it became gradual again. Dick let out a relieved sigh.</p><p>The decline was steady and now the ground was getting close enough for him to simply drop down on it.</p><p>Which he attempted, trying to spare Dick the last distance.</p><p>Yet Dick didn’t release his hold when he started to pull away. He stopped, not wanting to force it.</p><p>He was free-falling the last few feet, crashing to the ground, back hitting the ground.</p><p>A second later, Dick’s body collapsed onto his.</p><p>They laid there, Dick leaning into his neck, just taking mouthfuls of air.</p><p>There wasn’t much sunlight left, the final rays settling on the tree crowns above. The grassy meadow they’d landed in was still.</p><p>“So, I’m gonna go ahead and guess this plan was cooked up in what, one minute?”</p><p>“Shut up, worked dinni’t?”, Dick breathed against his skin.</p><p>He hummed, glancing down at Dick. Mostly he could just see a bundle of black raven hair and his body splayed out on top his, wings laying limply.</p><p>The wounds had reopened, leaking pearls of blood.</p><p>“Let me take a look.” He grabbed Dick’s arms, hoisting him up into a sitting position.</p><p>“Crap-!” Dick hissed.</p><p>Once he got Dick seated on his knees, while still holding onto him, he used one hand to grab Dick’s jaw, lifting it up. Dick’s eyes looked a bit unfocused, face still contorted in pain.</p><p>“Gonna-, uh, kiss it better?” Dick tried to smile but it just turned into a wince when Dick tried to shift and lean into his hold.</p><p>Damn idiot.</p><p>“Stay still.” He let go, slowly at first. Dick sat relatively steady. He moved up and circled to crouch down at Dick’s back.</p><p>“Ouch. No reward at all?”</p><p>If the fool was well enough to tease, it was probably fine. He just wanted to be sure Dick’s back was okay. The wounds were torn in some places but it hadn’t ripped open completely as he’d feared.</p><p>“How’d you distract the guards?” he asked, his gaze roaming down the back. beginning to wipe away the excess blood in some places using his own sleeve.</p><p>The touch made Dick’s body shudder and the man let out a small grunt.</p><p>“Damian just got back from his hunting trip. He was – ow! - pissed at Bruce for chewing him out about missing Jason’s Ascension, so I offered him a way to relieve his frustration.”</p><p>“Damian?”</p><p>“Yeah, my younger brother. Anyways, he showed me this lindworm he’d brought back to his pet collection. And well, I may have hinted at Roy being deathly afraid of lindworms since he was bitten by one as a kid.”</p><p>Dick glanced over his shoulder, smirking.</p><p>“What can I say? The kid’s a devil.”</p><p>He snorted, playing the image of the guard yelling in that high-pitched voice in his head. “Sounds like <em>you’re</em> the devil. Did he even know what you were up to?”</p><p>Dick’s suddenly sullen face and silence said it all.</p><p>Ah, screw it.</p><p>“…thanks.”</p><p>Dick looked up at that. The look of disbelief on his face was almost insulting until it cracked up into a small, pleased smile.</p><p>“You’re welcome.”</p><p>Dammit, if Dick was a dog, he’d probably be proudly wagging his tail about now.</p><p>Yet he didn’t mind.</p><p>There wasn’t much to be done about Dick’s back, except perhaps a bit of stitching if it’d been a human doctor or those strange medicinal leaves that Dick’s people had.</p><p>He let his fingers brush down Dick’s left side.</p><p>Dick seemed to sense he was done, because he turned around, nearly giving him a face full of wing, cursing while he shuffled.</p><p>Then he was face to face with a slightly ruffled yet smiling Dick.</p><p>He saw it coming miles away, when Dick leaned against him, slotting their mouths together.</p><p>And he welcomed it.</p><p>It was difficult to not go further even, to refrain from grabbing onto Dick and just <em>take</em>. Just pin him to the ground, the tree or whatever. But he had to be careful to not aggravate the injuries further.</p><p>Dick’s wings tried to envelop around them, only for them to retract into their default position, as Dick hissed and pulled away.</p><p>“Crap, this is gonna be a real bummer for a while.”</p><p>Then Dick glanced back into the woods, seemingly staring at nothing before turning back towards Slade.</p><p>“Worried?”</p><p>Dick’s brows furrowed. “No. But I should get back soon.”</p><p>That took him by surprise, his hand clenching around a handful of grass.</p><p>What had he been expecting, really? For Dick to come with, leave his family behind and venture into a world that would most likely try to butcher him as soon as it got the chance? And what was he supposed to do with Dick, bring him along while he killed monsters and humans alike?</p><p>Yes, Dick was the first being in a while he could stomach, even <em>trust</em>, who’d had his back. Whom he actually liked. Living in that bubble, it’d made him assume things. That it’d just been the beginning and not the end.</p><p>Dick grabbed his hand, holding it between both of his own.</p><p>“I don’t regret it.”</p><p>It came out firm, Dick looked at him without wavering, giving his hand a light squeeze while stroking circles using his thumbs.</p><p>“Take care.”</p><p>It was so sudden, his brain couldn’t quite wrap around it. Dick’s smile faltering, hands slipping away, getting up on his feet.</p><p>He rose as well, slowly.</p><p>Dick looked hesitant, biting his lip, almost as if he wanted to say something else. Or perhaps he was waiting for Slade to speak.</p><p>Yet instead he turned halfway to the side, eyeing the treetops, bracing to take flight.</p><p>Damn idiot. He’d tear his wounds fully open for sure, even if he was lighter without Slade.</p><p>His hand whipped out, catching Dick’s wrist in a vice-like grip.</p><p>His reaction surprised both himself and Dick, who spun his head back, eyes locking on the iron grip he had on Dick’s wrist before darting up to his face.</p><p>The image of Dick’s glistening eyes while listening to his stories about the outside world etched itself into his cornea. Dick’s curiosity and the collection of trinkets and tokens. The fact that he chose to live on the outskirts of his community. His strained relationship with Bruce, the rebellious attitude.</p><p>He didn’t belong here. He was simply weighed down by his supposed responsibilities that others had put on him.</p><p>“Come with.”.</p><p>Dick tilted his head slightly, creasing his brows, regarding Slade as if he’d gone mad.</p><p>“I can’t.”.</p><p>“You wanna go back? Really? To <em>that</em>?”</p><p>“Hey! <em>That</em>’s my family. My <em>life,</em>” Dick bit out. He tugged a little, testing the grip on his wrist.</p><p>“Just because you don’t live with them won’t stop them from being your family. You’ll grow to resent them if you let them cage you like this.” he countered.</p><p>“I wouldn’t. Never.” Dick’s voice trailed off a little.</p><p>“Look, there’s several solutions out there, ways to help you blend in and hide your wings. You want to experience Bluehill mountains? The chasms of Shaldaraa? The Elder’s Grove? The cities? <em>Come with</em>.”</p><p>Dick faltered.</p><p>“…it’s not that simple.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because…I need to be here right now, with my family.”</p><p>“Well, alright then. Go to them, settle things. I’ll come back-“</p><p>“No. Look, we’re <em>leaving</em>, alright? Bruce made the decision yesterday. With the war at our doorstep and the increased risk of being discovered, we can’t stay here. We’re moving the roost.”</p><p>Son of a bitch.</p><p>“By increased risk, he means me?”</p><p>Dick grimaced.</p><p>“Well, among other things. Listen, even if it was just because of you, I still wouldn’t regret it. It was the right thing to do. The others, they’re just scared because they don’t know you.”</p><p>Dick was severely overestimating his concern for the rest of the Raven-folk but alright.</p><p>“Where will you go?”</p><p>Dick shrugged. “Not sure. Maybe somewhere out of the country. There’s too much heat here. Bruce is right about that, we need to keep safe and rebuild. That’s the highest priority right now.”</p><p>That put a big, fat wrench in his plans.</p><p>However, he was good at adapting.</p><p>He held up his hand, showing one finger.</p><p>Dick crinkled his nose, narrowing his eyes, trying to decipher what the finger was meant to convey.</p><p>“What-“.</p><p>“One year.”.</p><p>With one step, he was up in Dick’s space, quickly claiming his mouth. Dick made a deliciously surprised noise, before sinking into it as well. He still held onto Dick’s wrist tightly, the other hand having moved to hold Dick’s neck, pressing their mouths hungrily together. Dick responded just as eagerly, pressing their mouths together even harder, clutching at Slade’s upper body, balling his fists into his shirt.</p><p>Once he pulled away, leaning back a bit, he caressed the side of Dick’s face soothingly.</p><p>“One year,” he repeated. “Then I’m hunting you down.”</p><p>“Sorry, what? <em>Hunt</em>?” Dick spluttered, eyes wide, letting go of his shirt. While Dick was distracted, his hand moved from Dick’s face to the back of his wings.</p><p>With a quick yank, he pulled out one of the top feathers.</p><p>Dick yelped, even jumping a bit.</p><p>“Are you nuts?!”.</p><p>It didn’t help when he tapped the feather against Dick’s nose, watching the man splutter again before stepping backward, eyeing the feather-like it was personally responsible for the offense.</p><p>It was too fucking funny, he nearly laughed out loud at the expression. Maybe he truly had gone mad.</p><p>Then Dick’s wide eyes darted back up to Slade.</p><p>He just grinned back.</p><p>“Like I said, one year. I’ll settle things on my end. You better have settled yours by then.”</p><p>With that, he released the grip on Dick’s wrist, turned around and began walking away, twirling the soft raven feather between his fingers.</p><p>After all, patience was his virtue.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Hunt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Of all the places, it had to be the Marshlands.</p><p>Even though his boots were reinforced, there was a dampness seeping through from the soggy ground in the swamp. Not to mention the occasional puddles he had the pleasure to step in.</p><p>The willowy trees swayed ominously and he wouldn’t be surprised if something popped out from underneath the leaves. He’d already slain a bog troll in the last hour and would probably have to slay a whole lot more if he didn’t make it to the village before nightfall.</p><p>The soft feather in his hand glowed brighter than it ever had before, the dust from the crushed wayward crystal imbued into it, giving it an unnatural blue hue.</p><p>Figures Bruce would choose one of the most unhospitable places he could think of after that debacle at their previous roost.</p><p>The trees here were nothing like the huge ones over back in Greenhaven where they’d previously resided. Still, the cypresses and willows weren’t too shabby height-wise either, towering in the swamp. Not to mention the surrounding bush, thick with winding trees and abundance of green. All in all, a seemingly decent replacement.</p><p>In the distance, something reddish flickered.</p><p>The dim light of a lantern.</p><p>Finally.</p><p>He pocketed the feather in the small pouch attached to his belt at the back, ensuring it was out of sight.</p><p>Ivy Point wasn’t exactly rich with residents but enough to form a community that had the resources to sustain and protect itself.</p><p>Or well, protect itself might be an exaggeration. The two guards perched on top of the wooden wall didn’t even take notice until he cleared his throat, too busy babbling with each other.</p><p>“Bugger me, another one? In one day? You’d be thinking there was a festival or something.”, the guard said.</p><p>“Maybe old Ivy’s finally been put on the map.”, the other one responded with a small chuckle.</p><p>“Like hell. He’s here for the bounty too, I’ll bet ya a copper on it.”.</p><p>Bounty? He hadn’t seen any bounties concerning Ivy Point, at least not in any of the taverns along the way. Granted, he’d kept a pretty brisk pace so he hadn’t had the chance to stay in that many.</p><p>They both turned to him.</p><p>“What brings you to these <em>fine</em> lands, sir?”. The guard who’d first spoken up gestured out towards the swamp behind him. They suddenly seemed rather transfixed by his armor, both pair of eyes eventually wandering to the two blades crisscrossed at his back.</p><p>“Just passing through.”.</p><p>He turned his head, looking at the wooden gates in front.</p><p>Finally, they seemed to catch on. One of them disappeared to the back and the gate started creaking, before the bridge slowly lowered.</p><p>“Appreciated”. He gave the men a nod before entering.</p><p>The village was just as barren as he’d expected, only a few townsfolk walking about.</p><p>Fish was clearly the main dish here, as he passed by the reeking stalls. The merchants perked up at the prospect of a customer but he ignored their begging looks.</p><p>The only place of importance right now was finding the local tavern. Every village had one, even the biggest dumps he’d had the misfortune to visit.</p><p>Sure enough, further down there was a sign with a wiggling carp on it in front of a jug overflowing with mead.</p><p>Tasteful.</p><p>The hinges of the door creaked as he pushed it open, entering. The glances shot in his direction weren’t subtle, the chattering even dampening. Two men were turning away from their cards just to stare.</p><p>His gaze immediately landed on the troupe seated in the corner. They wore armor as well, no insignia. Certainly not townsfolk.</p><p>Common mercenaries then?</p><p>Some of them sneered at him, while others eyed him curiously.</p><p>It didn’t take long. He’d only just ordered something to drink before one of the men from the troupe strode towards him, eventually leaning against the countertop. The man had ashen hair that was cropped, a decent build and eyed him with a knowing grin.</p><p>Nothing threatening about it, at least for now.</p><p>“You here for the bounty as well?”.</p><p>“Depends. Why?”.</p><p>“Well, figured <em>those</em> aren’t just for show.”. The man pointed at his blades.</p><p>“Suppose not.”.</p><p>The man pursed his lips.</p><p>“Brave of you to come alone. Think you can handle it by yourself?”.</p><p>The man had gotten close enough so that he could smell the cheap mead reeking from his mouth, his face and stare seemingly challenging.</p><p>A poor attempt at intimidation.</p><p>“Done pretty well by myself so far.”.</p><p>The man huffed out a small laugh, leaning back and seemingly relaxing again. He even slapped his hand once on the countertop with a bang. Some of his companions in the corner chuckled as well from where they stared.</p><p>“Against Raven-folk? Look gents, we got ourselves a real warrior here.”.</p><p>The smile on the man’s scarred face faltered, tone suddenly serious. “Maybe you feel like teaming up? We’re splitting the bounty between all of us already but we could squeeze one more in. The more the merrier, right?”.</p><p>Which in his ears translated to using him before slitting his throat when the deed was done. It’d be easy for them to dump his body in the swamps where no one would know. He’d met this kind before.</p><p>Hell, he’d even been one of them, in his early days.</p><p>Yet he entertained the thought. If he went with them, keeping track of them would be easier. Their throats would also be within the range of his blades.</p><p>“That’s a good point. How much are we talking?”.</p><p>The man cracked a big, toothy smile.</p><p>“Wise choice. We’re talking one sack of gold for a head, up to three if we find more of them. Could be a pack out there. Come join us, I’ll let you in on the details.”.</p><p>“Alright. Just gonna finish this.”. He held up his mug of mead, as if toasting. The man tapped his shoulder and sauntered off back to his table.</p><p>“Raven-folk, huh.”, he muttered, fixating his single eye on the barkeep that’d hovered nearby after handing him the drink.</p><p>The barkeep shrugged, seemingly resigned.</p><p>“Yeah, can you imagine? Didn’t think they were real until Ed and Thomas came back, hollering about how one had torn Samuel right into the sky. Damn thing clawed his entrails out with its talons before dropping him to the ground.”.</p><p>The barkeep looked out of the window distantly.</p><p>“Bog trolls, water sprites, that we can deal with. However, if Raven-folk start plucking us, I’m not sure we’d stand much of a chance. There’s no telling how many of them there is. Ed said you didn’t even have time to react before it’d swooped down. I mean, how are we supposed to defend against that?”.</p><p>“Sounds frightening.”. He took a sip, unable to keep the edges of his mouth from quirking up a little.</p><p>It was good news, for the most part. The gut-ripping and unwelcome party crashers he could do without, though.</p><p>Surprisingly aggressive move for a tribe of monsters that preferred to remain hidden. Perhaps they’d mistaken the man for a troll.</p><p>“Well, we appreciate the help.”.</p><p>He nearly scoffed. The man was clearly pissing himself at the thought of having to fight the mythical Raven-folk by themselves. Those two guards at the gate sure weren’t going to last long during an attack. They must be offering up nearly the entire town’s fortune if they were ready to pay whole three sacks of gold to get rid of them.</p><p>He simply nodded, throwing the barkeep another coin for a room to stay the night in, before joining the others at their table.</p><p>It was a boisterous bunch, all eight of them having served together in their lord’s army before finding their way into the mercenary business when it became apparent that they were on the losing side. Not particularly humble either, bragging about their recent kills and bounties.</p><p>He’d keep them close for a bit. Need be, they’d have to be taken care of once all of them put enough distance to the village.</p><p>He wouldn’t leave anything to chance. Not after waiting this long.</p><p>The men eventually ignored his presence at their table, stopped forcing their stories on him and ask questions, accepting him as a silent type. Probably didn’t want to get too attached either, if they were going to slit his throat. They happily carried on clinking their glasses, laughing and keeping up their shouting matches.</p><p>His mind wandered. The hands itched to touch the bag, to open it and reach inside.</p><p>It’d become a bad habit, rubbing the feather between his fingers, almost as if it’d become some sort of lucky charm before each hunt.</p><p>He’d made sure to acquire the right equipment, along with handling the issue of masking Dick’s appearance. It’d taken killing both a spriggan <em>and</em> a wyvern, harvesting them for parts, before Lady Shiva was pleased enough to craft him the transformation charm.</p><p>Only thing missing was Dick himself.</p><p>He wasn’t sure what to expect, whether it’d be easier or harder to peel him away than it’d been back then.</p><p>Regardless, he wasn’t going to leave so easily this time.</p>
<hr/><p>There was rustling outside the window, the door to the tavern creaking, the people outside mumbling audibly.</p><p>Already?</p><p>No slivers of sun trickled through the window, only the faint light from the lanterns.</p><p>Their numbers must be making the bastards cocky, if they dared to venture out before dawn.</p><p>It didn’t take long before there was a knock on the door.</p><p>“Rise and shine. It’s showtime.”.</p><p>He sat up, sliding the feet down onto the floor.</p><p>His armor and gear rested against the opposite wall just like he’d left them.</p><p>“Five minutes and I’ll be down.”.</p><p>Said and done, they were all gathered just outside the tavern.</p><p>He stuck out like a sore thumb with his two swords, most of them wielding spears or swords coupled with a shield with the additional crossbow strapped around their backs.</p><p>The hookshot attached to his belt yielded a particular number of odd looks. The sorry asses must’ve never seen anything like it before. Wintergreen didn’t make this equipment just for anybody, regardless of coin. It was only because they’d served together that he’d become one of the lucky few to get exclusive access.</p><p>As soon as they got outside of the gates, all of the men grew quiet. They trudged slowly through the wetlands, the swamp eerily quiet beyond the occasional creaking of a frog.</p><p>Yet nothing attacked. Or whatever was out there understood that getting close meant being turned into minced meat.</p><p>The ashen-haired man that’d invited him, seemingly the leader, stopped for a moment.</p><p>“Somewhere ‘round here.”, he mumbled, pointing towards the approaching tree line.</p><p>The sun was starting to rise beyond the horizon, passing through the tree tops.</p><p>“About here they said he was nabbed, the sorry son of a bitch. The one that was gutted.”.</p><p>The men visibly tensed. Before they’d just kept small talk to a minimum but now it grew deadly quiet.</p><p>Upon entering the forest, the leader commanded that half of the men unsheathe their crossbows while the others drew their other weapons. He himself kept at the back.</p><p>Nearly all of their eyes went to the trees above.</p><p>The sun began to filter through but was still dampened by the thick bush.</p><p>Then, in the corner of his eye, he caught sight of it.</p><p>A water sprite.</p><p>The others still peered upwards, as it floated soundlessly through the pond next to them, getting close to one of the men’s feet. It reached out with its claws, the black eyes attached to the man’s leg like it was a yummy treat. The mouth opened to show a nasty set of razor-sharp teeth.</p><p>Unfortunately, just then another one of the men caught sight of it and hollered.</p><p>In a second, the thing was full of crossbow bolts, the bluish body floating the surface as red tainted the water around it.</p><p>“Holy shit!”. The man that’d nearly got his leg chomped on sighed in relief. “Thanks.”.</p><p>Tch. Better luck next time.</p><p>Most of the men jumped at nearly every damn critter they came upon from then on.</p><p>He was starting to doubt their boastful stories and conquests by the minute. Except for the leader perhaps, he seemed sharp enough to not act like a dumbass, calmly trudging on in silence.</p><p>Eyes on the prize, most likely.</p><p>Something dark passed his mind, as he stared at the back of the man’s neck.</p><p>Then they stopped again. He could hear it too, something rustling among the bushes.</p><p>Just like before, most of them aimed their weapons towards the noise, wildly staring without care for their surroundings.</p><p>Seems like their numbers didn’t comfort them anymore.</p><p>Something <em>hissed</em>. Angrily.</p><p>Then a male voice.</p><p>“It’s okay, Titus. It’s just a critter or a troll. C’mere.”.</p><p>All of them froze.</p><p>Not a voice he recognized.</p><p>They exchanged looks, seeming unsure of what to do. Then the leader signed for them to split up, flanking whatever lay beyond the bushes. Whether it be a lost villager or something else on the other side of the bushes, the man didn’t seem to want to take any chances.</p><p>He himself stayed put, advancing on the front.</p><p>Somewhere, a stick cracked.</p><p>For fuck’s sake.</p><p>“Stay fucking put!”, the leader screamed as he broke through the bushes, sword raised high, shield in front. The others jumped out as well, weapons at the ready and crossbows aimed.</p><p>The first thing he caught sight of over the leader’s shoulder was a white, slithery shape, something with scales. Its arms and wings were small in comparison to its long body yet it had claws. It hissed at them again.</p><p>A lindworm.</p><p>Then he saw the boy.</p><p>The kid had white wings that shifted into grey at the edges of his feathers. The gaping face, green eyes flitting between them as he regarded them all.</p><p>Shit.</p><p>It’d definitely be harder to persuade Dick if they slaughtered his younger brother.</p><p>The kid held onto the lindworm protectively, trying to back up a bit.</p><p>“Don’t you fucking move!”, the leader yelled, pointing his sword at him.</p><p>The kid froze.</p><p>“Alright, grab him. If there are others, he’ll lead us to them.”.</p><p>The kid’s eyes lit up, hands twitching.</p><p>Definitely about to do something stupid.</p><p>Before the kid had the talons out, he drew one of his blades, embedding it into the throat of the mercenary closest to him on the right. He sliced through it by dragging the sword to the side, splashing blood along with the movement.</p><p>For just one moment, they all stared. The leader had turned around, eyes wide.</p><p>It bought him enough time to grab two throwing daggers from his belt, launching them into the heads of two others.</p><p>Then it was game on. He dodged two bolts and deflected the third, coming from the men using their crossbows to the left.</p><p>The kid let out a war cry, embedding his talons into the neck of one of them, while they were focused on Slade.</p><p>Attaboy.</p><p>Four down, four to go.</p><p>He drew his second blade.</p><p>The leader was backing behind another mercenary, eyeing the kid still busy shredding the mercenary’s body.</p><p>It didn’t take long.</p><p>The mercenary lifted the shield but could only be on defense, while he lashed out with both blades. The shield was nowhere near big enough to cover the man’s bulky body. He deflected a hit from the man’s spear, steering it to the side before piercing his other blade through the man’s thigh.</p><p>The man didn’t even bother to raise his spear in another attack, instead distracted by the wound, trying to push Slade back with the shield.</p><p>A strike came from the left. Another one of the mercenaries was ganging up on him.</p><p>No matter. Neither of the men had good footwork. With a few sidesteps to the right, away from the new attacker and to the side of spear-man, he got an opening, He slashed the man’s shoulder.</p><p>Yet again distraught by the pain, the man briefly looked down at his shoulder. It gave him the opportunity to quickly drive one of the blades through the man’s skull.</p><p>The remaining mercenary cried out, slashing at him furiously with his sword. The strikes were quite strong, forcing him back a bit. Yet there was no real thought behind it, just a reckless flurry of blows. He caught the next strike between both of his blades. The man immediately realized his mistake, eyes widening as he watched Slade slide one of his own blades back upwards, lifting it up and slicing his head clean off.</p><p>To his right, the last remaining mercenary beyond the leader dropped his shield to the ground with a clatter, running back into the forest where they’d come from only with his sword.</p><p>He hurled two daggers in a quick succession, both hitting the back of the man’s head and he watched the man fall over.</p><p>Then the kid yelped.</p><p>The leader had deflected the blows from the kid’s talons, sending him tumbling to the ground, as he approached with his sword, raising it into a stabbing motion.</p><p>Then he cried out, stopping for a moment to look down at the lindworm biting his leg.</p><p>Which was followed by a gurgle, as the hookshot impacted and pierced his upper back. The metal claws embedded themselves into the flesh. With one pull, the man stumbled backwards and fell down. He looked up at Slade, face twisted by pain and rage, blood leaking from his lips.</p><p>“Sorry. I don’t share.”.</p><p>The leader was about to reply but he put him out of his misery by stabbing his throat, then slicing it clean through.</p><p>The body twitched, then stilled.</p><p>He locked eyes with the kid, who was still frozen on the ground, the lindworm curled up in front of him and hissing loudly.</p><p>Feisty thing. Both of them really, considering what the kid had just done.</p><p>His attention went back to the body. Using his foot, he flipped the man over, retracting the hookshot. The chains rattled and met with resistance first, as the claw detached itself from the man’s back, taking pieces of flesh along with it before fully retracting to its original state, red droplets dripping from it.</p><p>It’d be a pain to clean.</p><p>With a click, he’d hooked and re-attached it back to his belt. Now he could lean down to pick up the blade he’d discarded on the ground in order to fire the thing.</p><p>It wasn’t until he approached that the kid finally thought to move.</p><p>“Get-…get away!”, the kid yelled, scrambling back until his back hit the trunk of a tree.</p><p>He probably didn’t ease the kid’s fears by barking out a laugh.</p><p>“Sure, because that usually works.”.</p><p>He sheathed one of his blades, crouching down in front of both the kid and the lindworm, to reach down and pull out the rope tied to his belt, hanging down in a small loop.</p><p>The kid shuffled, as if to stand up.</p><p>“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”, he warned.</p><p>The kid’s eyes lit up again, looking defiant, still sliding back up, wings flapping as if to take flight.</p><p>So it’d to come to this.</p><p>In an instant, he stopped fumbling with the rope and shot out his hand, grabbing the lindworm by the neck in a tight grip before it could bite him.</p><p>It wheezed.</p><p>The kid looked panicked.</p><p>“I’ll snap it.”.</p><p>The kid dropped down in an instant, sitting down again.</p><p>“Look, I’m not interested in messing with you or your brethren, alright? If I did, I wouldn’t have helped you just now, would I? I just have some questions, that’s all.”.</p><p>Dick probably wouldn’t fancy him murdering the kid’s pet and scarring him for life either. Besides, this <em>thing</em> in his hand had actually helped them escape that time, even if it was unintentional.</p><p>Either way, the threat worked. The kid still looked suspicious, lips pursed tightly and eyes narrowed as he regarded Slade.</p><p>“What do you want?”.</p><p>“For starters, let’s change location, shall we? This is about to become a feast for any pack of bog trolls close enough to smell it. I don’t think we’d want to be here by then, do we?”.</p><p>The kid nodded.</p><p>“Good. Here.”.</p><p>He threw the rope to him and it landed across in a bundle across the kid’s thighs.</p><p>The kid looked up in confusion, as Slade rose to his feet.</p><p>“Tie that around your waist.”.</p><p>Now that ticked him off, when the kid looked at him as if he was a dumbass.</p><p>“Just so you <em>don’t</em> fly off. I’ll hold onto this guy in the meanwhile.”. He raised up the lindworm.</p><p>The kid winced.</p><p>“Just- ease off a bit, don’t hold so tightly.”. The kid faced the lindworm directly. “Look Titus, it’s gonna be alright.”.</p><p>He looked down to see the bloody lindworm <em>nod</em>, albeit stiffly in his grip.</p><p>In pure shock, he was tempted to fling the damn thing off into the woods.</p><p>Once the kid was strapped up around the waist and he’d tested the bonds, there was nothing more to it.</p><p>“After you.”, he gestured, pulling the rope a bit from where it was settled in between his hand holding the handle of the blade.</p><p>The kid rolled his eyes and walked ahead into the woods.</p>
<hr/><p>This would do.</p><p>He stopped as soon as they’d put enough distance behind them, out of reach for whatever beasts that’d be attracted by the carnage.</p><p>He’d been waiting for the kid to change his hands back into talons and turn around to attack but he was surprisingly obedient. The only thing he did was throw a few looks back at him occasionally, probably making sure he wasn’t killing his pet.</p><p>The pet itself proved more problematic, trying to wriggle out of his grip and bite, until it finally realized it was no use and grew limp. Then only to try again, the stubborn thing.</p><p>The grove they’d settled on was just a little bit sparser with bushes and thicket of trees, giving him at least some measure to keep track of the surroundings. The trees were just as dense above, only allowing slivers of sun rays through.</p><p>The kid leaned against one of the trees, crossing his arms. It was as if he was a king allowing Slade an audience.</p><p>“Let’s get this over with.”, the kid declared, shadows dancing on his face as he shifted his feet.</p><p>The kid seemed unfazed considering his capture and the fact that he’d just killed somebody. There were still remnants of blood on the kid’s bare upper body and on the black, wide pants that resembled the lower part of a robe. Maybe killing humans was like squishing bugs for a monster like him, no matter his seemingly young age.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s.”.</p><p>He walked closer, stopping just out of the kid’s clawing range.</p><p>“I’m looking for someone. A Raven-man like yourself with black wings and hair, blue eyes, about this tall. Slender yet kind of muscular. Might have a scarred back. Ring a bell?”.</p><p>Best to keep the kid out of the loop regarding how much he knew about them as a whole, just focus on Dick.</p><p>The kid’s eyes narrowed.</p><p>“I thought you said you weren’t interested in us.”.</p><p>“I’m not. Just this one.”.</p><p>The kid was starting to look like a sour apple.</p><p>“Look, I’m not gonna hurt him. I just need to talk to him.”.</p><p>For starters, anyway.</p><p>“Talk?”. The kid’s face scrunched up in confusion.</p><p>“Yeah, <em>talk</em>.”.</p><p>“Tt.”.</p><p>Did the damn kid just tut him?</p><p>“Bullshit. What’d you want, really? He your next trophy?”. The kid sneered at him.</p><p>“No.”.</p><p>It was going to take more to coax the kid in his favor. Normally, one would figure that saving one’s life should’ve been enough.</p><p>Not for this brat.</p><p>“We’re acquainted, alright? He knows me. Take me to him and I’ll prove it.”.</p><p>The kid just kept staring. Okay, not falling for that one then.</p><p>“Like I said, I’m not here to hurt him. I’m here to repay a debt.”.</p><p>The kid weirdly stiffened, eyes seemingly brightened with sudden enlightenment, staring at him in surprise.</p><p>“You- you’re <em>him</em>! The human! Dick’s human!”. He pointed at Slade accusatorily, stabbing his finger at him.</p><p>Now it was his turn to frown.</p><p>“Is that what you guys call me?”.</p><p>Rather unimaginative.</p><p>“I’d call you a bastard.”, the kid pouted. “You’re the one who screwed us over, escaping the roost.”.</p><p>Then the kid went back to looking confused, crossing his arms again.</p><p>“Why’d you come back? Why now?”.</p><p>“I thought I was the one asking the questions.”.</p><p>“Not if you want answers, you don’t.”.</p><p>For the love of –</p><p>This was a lost cause.</p><p>He leaned down, dropping the lindworm on the ground. It immediately slithered to the kid’s side. He dropped the end of the rope as well. The kid didn’t even wait one second before transforming his hand into a talon, cutting off the rope attached to his waist.</p><p>Maybe that’d buy him some goodwill.</p><p>“I already told you, I <em>owe</em> him. I don’t like owing favors, that’s all. I’m only here now because that’s how long it took to track you all down.”.</p><p>As if.</p><p>If he hadn’t decided to wait a year, finding them sooner would’ve been a piece of cake.</p><p>“Uh-huh. And how exactly do you intend to repay him?”.</p><p>“Not sure. That’s why I need to talk with him, to settle things.”.</p><p>The kid’s face twisted into something stormy.</p><p>“The best way to repay him is to stay away. You hear me?”.</p><p>Oh joy. He should’ve expected this.</p><p>“I can’t do that.”.</p><p>Now the kid was getting fired up, stomping over to him across the murky grove. His body tensed, ready to fend the kid off if need be. The kid had just shredded a man after all.</p><p>“Do you have any idea what you put him through? What you did to the roost?”.</p><p>He watched each movement of the kid’s pointing finger, directed towards him.</p><p>“You made him an <em>outcast</em>. Father permanently removed him from the line of succession. He’ll never be trusted to lead the roost again.”.</p><p>That wasn’t so bad, Dick wouldn’t have wanted that anyway, as far as he knew. And hold up, ‘Father’? Was this an actual child of Bruce?</p><p>“Father was even lenient by imprisoning rather than executing you, despite the threat you posed. Yet you made Grayson jeopardize the roost’s wellbeing. In other ones, he’d been banned or executed himself.”.</p><p>Grayson? So Dick actually had a last name.</p><p>He couldn’t keep from scoffing. “I’m supposed to be sorry that he wasn’t a sheep like the rest of you?”.</p><p>“Oh, for imprisoning a known monster-killer? That makes us sheep?”, the kid spat out.</p><p>“Yes.”. Trapping him on that cliff didn’t solve anything. Like aimless sheep running around simply because they smelled a wolf.</p><p>“We put the roost <em>first</em>, you cyclops. We don’t have the luxury of taking chances. It wasn’t as if we were trying to kill you. Though that’s what I’d have urged Father to do, had I been there.”.</p><p>Oh, for shit’s sake.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all before. Now, <em>where</em> is he?”.</p><p>“As if I’d tell you.”.</p><p>They stared at each other. The kid had guts, he’d give him that.</p><p>“So saving your life counts for nothing?”.</p><p>“You didn’t do it out of the kindness of your heart, now did you?”.</p><p>“Doesn’t change the fact that the reason you’re still standing here ranting your head off is because of me.”.</p><p>The kid flinched. Oh yes, he was getting to him now.</p><p>“You already know I’m not gonna harm him. What’s the problem?”.</p><p>The kid bit his lip before finally speaking up.</p><p>“…Why’d you think? Father hasn’t looked at him the same since. He’s scorned by others, even if he’s just trying to help. He scared them so badly by bringing you to us.”.</p><p>The kid hesitated a bit, looking down. “Just- Go home.<em> Please</em>.”.</p><p>The ‘please’ caught him off guard.</p><p>The kid must be really determined to stoop to begging and trying to pull at his emotional strings.</p><p>If he told the him the solution to all that was taking Dick away from here, this’d truly become a lost cause.</p><p>He should be happy that Dick was being mistreated here. It’d make things easier.</p><p>Yet somehow, it got under his skin.</p><p>Dick’s dumb face each time when he’d spoken of his family. The warmth in his voice, such as when he’d told of Damian using his lindworm or how big Jason’d become for having his Ascension. The misguided respect he held for Bruce, the rest of the family and the roost in general.</p><p>Yeah, he could see Dick brought down by that.</p><p>“I have to settle this.”.</p><p>The anger had seeped out of the kid, replaced with a pitiful look.</p><p>“I’m not taking you to him.”.</p><p>“Didn’t expect you to. I’ll find him.”.</p><p>It’d been worth a shot.</p><p>“Well then, I’ll-“, the kid started.</p><p>Something called out.</p><p>“Damian!”.</p><p>He recognized the voice. It wasn’t far away.</p><p>“Kid-“</p><p>“Go!”. The kid urged in a hushed tone.</p><p>He didn’t need to hear it twice.</p><p>“Dammit, if you’re there, answer. Don’t be a brat.”. The voice rang out again.</p><p>Somewhere above, the trees rustled. He didn’t have time to run.</p><p>He dove into the bush.</p><p>“I’m down here!”, the kid called out.</p><p>Just a moment later, he could peer a shadow through a small crack in the bush. The shadow covered the trails of sunlight, rustling through the trees, before coming closer into view. The wings flapped, as the creature flew down into the grove. Black wings, with flecks of white.</p><p>Yeah, he definitely recognized that nasty mug. It made him clench his hand around the handle of the blade.</p><p>“Goddammit!”, Jason said with a growl, hovering slightly above the ground in front of Damian.</p><p>Jason had grown slightly taller and bulkier since he’d last seen him. Shit. If that kid got cocky and betrayed his position, this could get ugly. Hopefully the kid realized that as well.</p><p>“The hell you doing running away? We’ve been looking for you all over. Bruce’s been going nuts.”.</p><p>The kid rolled his eyes, leaning down to pet the lindworm that crawled near and brushed his leg.</p><p>“And I’ll be damned if I’m stuck inside one more day, thanks to <em>you</em>.”.</p><p>Jason groaned, landing on the ground.</p><p>“Dammit, how long are you gonna keep hounding me? It was just <em>one</em> human. And it tried to shoot me!”.</p><p>“And now we have hunters after us. Congrats.”.</p><p>Jason stiffened.</p><p>“Hunters? Where?”, he demanded. Something about his stance shifted.</p><p>The way the kid’s face scrunched up conveyed clearly how much he regretted just saying that.</p><p>“Look, it was a while ago, southeast of here. And you’re right. We should get back and report this to Father.”.</p><p>Finally, his ears picked up on it.</p><p>The quiet breathing, the shuffling through the damp grass behind him. He whipped around, coming face to face with a water sprite. Its webbed feet came to a stop, as it realized it’d been busted.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>The thing hissed, lunging forward.</p><p>All it took was one swipe with the sword to cut its head clean off.</p><p>Yet the creature managed to let out a small gurgle as his blade connected. The body thumped down to the ground.</p><p>The damage was done.</p><p>He scrambled to the trunk of the nearby tree, scooting behind it, didn’t have time to care about the rustling noises the bush made as he moved.</p><p>“Leave it, probably just an animal.”, Damian called out.</p><p>The approaching footsteps didn’t stop.</p><p>His hand went to the belt as he got to his knees, ripping out the hookshot and aiming it at the branch of the willow. There was a crackle and the chain rattled as it connected. He did a quick pull to check if it was steady, before retracting it, pulling himself up along with it.</p><p>It was worth a try. Otherwise he’d use the position to his advantage.</p><p>Something rustled the bushes beneath. He heaved himself up onto the branch, quickly pushing through the hanging leaves and leaned against the hard surface of the tree. The long, willowy leaves would make for a good cover but since he’d spotted the branch from below, it was all too possible Jason would as well, even if he pressed against the tree, trying to lean out of sight as best he could.</p><p>Then the rustling and shuffling stopped, as Jason came into view, stepping through the bushes, his hands having transformed into talons.</p><p>“Damian. C’mere.”.</p><p>He heard the kid follow.</p><p>“It’s just a sprite.”, the kid tried.</p><p>“A <em>dead</em> sprite. That noise just now…”.</p><p>Jason knew. For sure. He had to have seen the wound. Heard the mechanical rattling of the hookshot.</p><p>“Yeah, maybe you’re right. The more reason to get back quickly.”.</p><p>“It’s fresh.”.</p><p>“C’mon, stop. Let’s just go.”.</p><p>It grew quiet for a moment.</p><p>Then Jason started to turn his head upwards.</p><p>“There, look!”, the kid suddenly yelled.</p><p>Jason stopped and whipped his head around towards where the kid was pointing.</p><p>“I saw something, it’s running!”.</p><p>Jason held out his talon in front of the kid, urging him to step back.</p><p>“Alright, stay behind me. Keep close.”.</p><p>Jason took flight, hovering a bit at first to make sure the kid was with him, shielded behind his wings.</p><p>The kid followed closely. Even the lindworm took flight, despite its small and seemingly useless wings in comparison to its long body.</p><p>Just like that, they disappeared upwards into the tree tops, most likely to hunt from the air, leaving the grove empty and silent.</p><p>A sigh escaped him, a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Probably best to change his hiding spot. It was likely that Jason would return here once the goose chase the kid had sent him on hit a dead end. Or after he’d dumped the kid somewhere. At least, that’s what he’d done himself if he’d been in the same position.</p><p>After giving it a few minutes, he clambered down.</p><p>Feeling around inside his pouch, his fingers found the feather. It shone even brighter than before, giving off a blue glow from the otherwise raven-black strands and lit up the nearby surroundings.</p><p>Then he prowled off into the woods.</p>
<hr/><p>He’d been clamping through the never-ending swamp of a forest for what seemed like hours. Must’ve been, because daylight was fading, inching further away towards the treetops.</p><p>Seeing the two brothers had sparked some hope and the wayward dust on the feather had indicated that he was getting closer.</p><p>Yet despite its radiant glow, there were no results.</p><p>The path took him by a meadow, just ahead. It was a nice spot of dry land. It’d do for a break, just to grab a bite to eat from his pack before marching on just a bit further before nightfall.</p><p>As soon as he sat down at the trunk of a cypress, the tiredness washed over him all at once. It’d been a couple of nights since he got some solid sleep, most of it being spent outdoors. He leaned his head back, shutting his eye.</p><p>Maybe setting up camp here wouldn’t be too bad.</p><p>Something vibrated in his pouch.</p><p>“Damian!”.</p><p>His eye shot open.</p><p>Had he imagined it?</p><p>Fumbling through the pouch, he retrieved the feather. The glow was nearly dazzling and it was <em>shaking</em>.</p><p>Was it supposed to do that?</p><p>“Damian, c’mon! If you’re there, answer! Everyone’s worried!”.</p><p>Okay, so it’s really happening.</p><p>His body went into high alert, as he got up to his feet, at first walking briskly before running, jumping through the obstructing bushes.</p><p>“Damian, is that you? Titus?”.</p><p>He followed the voice. Then just as he broke through another bush, he saw it.</p><p>Perched up on a branch, looking down at him, was Dick.</p><p>“<em>Slade</em>?”.</p><p>It was such a strange sense of déjà vu. Except instead of looking confident and smirking like he had back then, Dick looked flabbergasted. The trails of sunlight shrouded him in a shining silhouette.</p><p>“Yeah, sorry. The kid’s fine though, got picked up by one of yours.”.</p><p>“What the hell- No wait, nevermind.”. Dick pinched the bridge of his nose, seemingly taking a deep breath.</p><p>He grinned, as Dick stared.</p><p>“Not coming down to say hello?”.</p><p>Dick scoffed. “Not if you’re <em>hunting</em> me, I’m not.”.</p><p>He crossed his arms. “Don’t be stupid.”.</p><p>“Gee, you’re really selling it.”.</p><p>“If I wanted to harm you, I’d already have shot you from afar. C’mere.”.</p><p>He waved his hand, beckoning Dick.</p><p>It was kind of funny. Dick eyed him like a suspicious cat, seeing someone holding a treat but not trusting it.</p><p>Which was probably wise.</p><p>Dick mumbled something, before standing up, spreading his black wings.</p><p>Then with a whoosh Dick flew, landing a few feet in front of him. The wings stretched out as Dick straightened and stared at Slade, still seemingly bewildered.</p><p>He was every bit as gorgeous as Slade remembered.</p><p>Shit, this was stirring up more than memories.</p><p>Dick suddenly froze, pointing at his hand hanging to the side.</p><p>“Is that <em>my</em> feather?”.</p><p>“Yep.”.</p><p>“Don’t ‘yep’ me, the hell? Why’s it glowing?”.</p><p>He lifted the feather up a bit, showing it to Dick, twirling it around.</p><p>“Secrets of the trade, I’m afraid.”.</p><p>“You totally used it to track me, didn’t you? You jerk.”. Dick seemed intrigued rather than mad, eyeing the glowing and trembling feather while tilting his head slightly.</p><p>“Well then, here I am.”. Dick smiled, and the eyes wandered away from the feather back up to his face.</p><p>It was tempting to just manhandle him onto the ground right then and there.</p><p>“So what was that about Damian? You saw him?”.</p><p>Okay, going in a different direction than he’d hoped for.</p><p>“Kid got picked up by your shithead brother. We just ran into each other on my way here.”, he replied, stuffing the feather back into the pouch.</p><p>Dick frowned. “Jay? But -“</p><p>“Didn’t see me, only met with the kid.”.</p><p>Dick looked like he had more questions. Yet he seemed to bottle them up.</p><p>“That’s good. Jay’s been a bit…<em>wild</em>, lately.”.</p><p>“You can say that again. Heard he’s the one that killed that villager.”.</p><p>Dick’s face hardened.</p><p>“I’m sorry that man lost his life. Bruce’s gonna straighten it out.”.</p><p>Dick looked away for a moment to the side, eyeing the bushes.</p><p>“I hope you can understand. It’s just a reaction to nearly getting killed again.”.</p><p>What he understood was that Jason seemed to be on the warpath. It’d probably escalate, regardless of what pretty pictures Bruce would paint about seclusion and rebuilding.</p><p>It was kind of pitiful. They had no idea of what was in the works. Those hunters definitely wouldn’t be the last. The more deaths and resistance, the bigger the cavalry’s going to get. Those chumps were nothing compared to proper hunters from the Hunter’s Guild, such as himself.</p><p>But he didn’t come here to get involved in any politics. The kid would probably have informed Bruce about the situation by now.</p><p>This was about working out things with Dick.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m sure. Look, it’s nothing to me alright. This is about you.”.</p><p>Dick frowned again, crossing his arms. “What’d you mean?”.</p><p>“I told you to settle things.”.</p><p>“Yeah, you <em>told</em> and then walked away. What was I supposed to do with that?”.</p><p>Well, this had always been one of the possible scenarios.</p><p>He shrugged. “Fair enough. It’s been a year. The roost’s been relocated, Bruce seems to have a handle on things. How about you let me help you get out of this swamp?”.</p><p>Dick’s scowl deepened.</p><p>“It’s not that simple.”.</p><p>“It is. You helped me. Let me do the same for you.”.</p><p>“You <em>don’t </em>owe me anything. Just drop it, Slade. I don’t need help. It’s good to see you but if that’s why -”.</p><p>“You do, just let me -“.</p><p>“I don’t!”, Dick bit out. He closed the distance between them in an instant, getting in his face and poking his finger at Slade’s chest.</p><p>“Quit acting like you get to dictate how I feel, what I want! Just-”.</p><p>Okay, screw damage control then. Better to just rip at the source of it all.</p><p>He whipped out his hand, catching Dick’s wrist in a tight grip.</p><p>“What’d you want then?”. Dick’s other hand reached to pull his hand away but he caught that one too. “Let’s hear it.”.</p><p>Dick struggled to pull away, meeting his gaze with a fierce look.</p><p>“Tell me you like it here. That you wanna live in this swamp. That you don’t give a shit about what’s out there, that you don’t yearn for it.”.</p><p>He knew the resentment was in there somewhere, if he could just entice it somehow.</p><p>He’d seen the look on Dick’s face when Bruce tried to tell him what to think and do. To be told to stay put and cower in fear inside this small bubble that could burst at any moment. The defiance. As much as he hated the thought, Dick and Jason were probably similar in that way, both frustrated at their current circumstances. Except Jason lashed out in anger while Dick simply distanced himself.</p><p>Yeah, it had to be there.</p><p>Dick stilled. “Just stop.”.</p><p>“Stop what? Say it loud and clear.”.</p><p>Dick remained silent, biting his lip and looking away stubbornly.</p><p>“Tell me I’m wrong. That you don’t want <em>this</em>.”. He tightened his hold on Dick’s wrists.</p><p>Dick suddenly turned his head back, glaring.</p><p>Really, he should’ve seen it coming.</p><p>Yet it didn’t register before Dick quickly lifted up his foot, squeezing it in the small space between them and <em>pushed, </em>kicking him backwards with surprising force. A move meant to separate them.</p><p>Except he didn’t let go.</p><p>Dick tumbled down along with him, landing on top. The damn sheaths to his blade was digging into his back.</p><p>Dick sat up lightning-fast, straddling him. “Screw you.”, he said, struggling against the hold on his wrists.</p><p>Fine.</p><p>If Dick needed to get this out of his system, he was ready to rumble. Damn idiot must be pent up.</p><p>“Real cute.”.</p><p>He hooked his leg around Dick’s lower back, just under the wing, about to flip them over.</p><p>Dick wasn’t having it.</p><p>It was freakishly flexible how he once more managed to get his foot up despite how close they were, pushing Slade back as they were lying sideways. At the same time, he flapped his damn wing in Slade’s face.</p><p>His grip slipped on the wrists, as Dick pulled away and pushed him back with the foot.</p><p>Dick crouched up to his feet. Yet before Dick could get up entirely, he used his foot to swipe at Dick’s feet. Dick gasped, falling down once more.</p><p>In an instant he was on him, moving the wing out of his face, and pressing Dick down on his back again. Despite Dick’s struggle, he managed to get a firm grip around both wrists, holding the hands down next to Dick’s head. He leaned in, getting closer to Dick’s face.</p><p>“Everything’s arranged. All you need to do is say <em>yes</em>.”.</p><p>Dick clenched his jaw, meeting Slade’s gaze.</p><p>“You can always go back home. Just give it a chance.”, he tried again.</p><p>Dick writhed underneath, looking back and forth between his captured wrists, breath seemingly having been knocked out of him as he panted, hair tousled with some strands falling down his face.</p><p>Yeah, time for a different tactic.</p><p>He bent down, pressing a kiss to Dick’s temple.</p><p>“Just <em>take</em> what you want, for once.”, he said into Dick’s ear.</p><p>While leaning up, Dick turned his head toward him. He seemed flustered, brows tightly knit.</p><p>Almost as if he was in pain.</p><p>He tried to soothe it by trailing a few kisses down Dick’s jaw, before moving onto his neck.</p><p>Dick gave a small shudder, a slight hitch in his breath, his body going slack.</p><p>He let go of one of Dick’s wrists, reaching for the side of Dick’s face instead, caressing the cheek with his thumb before moving up to stroke his hair.</p><p>“Sorry ‘bout this.”, Dick mumbled.</p><p>He whipped his head up to catch Dick’s free hand transforming into a talon. He used the thing to grasp the hand Slade had wrapped around Dick’s right wrist, catching it in a crushing grip.</p><p>The momentarily pain shook him and he loosened his hold, making him pull back.</p><p>Dick’s foot planted itself square on his chest, kicking him. He flew backwards, landing on his back.</p><p>Goddammit.</p><p>By the time he got back up on his knees, Dick had already scrambled to his feet and backed away.</p><p>Then the raven wings flapped.</p><p>Oh fuck no.</p><p>He ran.</p><p>Dick had just lifted off of the ground. The foot was still within reach, if he jumped.</p><p>Yet his fingertips just brushed the side of Dick’s foot before slipping off, failing to get a grip.</p><p>Dick hovered above mid-air looking down at him, unreachable.</p><p>“I <em>can’t</em>.”.</p><p>Dick paused, turning away to look upwards.</p><p>“Go back, Slade.”.</p><p>Then he was gone.</p><p>He was left standing there, clenching his empty, aching fist while watching the swaying canopy that Dick had just disappeared through.</p><p>No.</p><p>No way.</p><p>Dick had to say it. Clearly. Otherwise he wouldn’t stop trying to drag him out of this shithole. Though frankly, it’d be kind of hard to buy it even if Dick did utter the words. He didn’t belong here and surely Dick understood that himself, on some level. Insisting on staying here would only result in him being a wannabe martyr for nothing, which was ridiculous.</p><p>In any case, he’d simply have to change his tactic until he’d tried everything in his arsenal.</p><p>Until defeat.</p><p>He opened the pouch, retrieving the feather. Its glow illuminated the meadow in a bluish shimmer, leading the way.</p>
<hr/><p>Nightfall didn’t offer optimal conditions for hunting. Dick would already be far off, further indicated by the feather slightly dimming.</p><p>Suppose he could wait another night. Really, he’d already waited a year. Let Dick cool off a bit and try again.</p><p>Or maybe not. Dick’s head was probably spinning about now.</p><p>Settling down for the night was probably the right move, yet there was an eagerness to pursue immediately.</p><p>So a compromise it was. He’d rest for a bit then continue the hunt, minimizing the amount of time spent prowling around in the dark.</p><p>Even when he found a thicker tree branch that’d do for a sleeping place, his mind kept busy with mapping out different ways to tackle this.</p><p>There just wasn’t a surefire way to get Dick to see things his way.</p><p>For starters, he just needed him to listen. Work on him, coax whatever was holding him back out of him.</p><p>But what was he supposed to say and do different this time, honestly?</p><p>The lack of a solid plan became disturbingly evident, as he stood in a grove the morning after with the feather raised, glowing in full in his hand, after a few hours of walking. The feather gave off tiny quivers, a small indication towards shaking.</p><p>Dick had to be around here somewhere.</p><p>There was a good amount of thick and tall trees around that could make for potential nesting grounds. It wasn’t difficult to see why this whole forest was interesting to the Raven-folk, beyond its isolation.</p><p>However, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Except for the glowing feather in his grasp. If this was their new roost, surely, he’d have seen someone by now, something rustling about in the treetops. They were few, but not <em>that</em> few based on the flock he’d seen gathered during Jason’s Ascension.</p><p>A good sign.</p><p>So tree tops or <em>inside</em> one of the trees it was.</p><p>Where to begin? The feather didn’t really give much of a hint, reacting the same even as he moved around the grove.</p><p>Screw it. He aimed the hookshot above the nearest, suitable branch.</p><p>The explosive rattling of the chain wasn’t discreet but nothing came lashing out. The continued use of the hookshot was inevitable to climb as high as he did.</p><p>This particular tree seemed to be a bust but it gave him a pretty good view of the surroundings.</p><p>Ah.</p><p>At this height, it was rather obvious.</p><p>The carved out, uneven round door was clearly defined on a tree slightly opposite of his position, a bit to the right.</p><p>Of course.</p><p>It was the thickest tree around, he should’ve gone for that one straight away. The Raven-folk sure were crafty with their woodwork, he’d give them that, well hidden from any curious onlookers below.</p><p>He braced himself, aiming the hookshot.</p><p>Then there it was. The unmistakable rustling of wings flapping.</p><p>He re-aimed the hookshot at the creature coming from above.</p><p>However, it didn’t swoop down at him. Instead, it landed on a branch just above him.</p><p>“Well, well. I’d be lying if I said this was a surprise.”.</p><p>The creature, Tim if he recalled correctly, looked a lot more cocksure than when he’d seen him last, all smirking and casually stretching his grey wings. Back then he’d only seemed flustered.</p><p>Dammit. The kid must’ve spilled the beans. He’d been hoping the kid would’ve kept him out of the picture considering how he’d helped him. Or that the kid’s pride got to him, making him shut up about how he’d been saved.</p><p>Rather than leading them here.</p><p>Maybe he should’ve let the kid deal with those hunters on his own.</p><p>“That’s a curious contraption you’ve got there. Don’t suppose you’d hand it over, would you?”, Tim continued.</p><p>“No, I wouldn’t.”.</p><p>Shit. Were they hunting him?</p><p>It was an awkward standoff, both observing one another, all the while he kept the hookshot trained on Tim.</p><p>It’d do the trick, if the bastard got any foolish ideas.</p><p>“How about we take this nice and easy?”, Tim said.</p><p>Was he stalling?</p><p>His grip tightened around the base of the hookshot.</p><p>“And why would we do that?”.</p><p>Oh, he hadn’t forgotten. The shame in letting these assholes imprison him, they way they’d taken him to Bruce like little good soldiers.</p><p>Like enemies.</p><p>“Because it’s not gonna get you what you want.”.</p><p>That made him raise his eyebrow.</p><p>“And besides, I’m not alone.”.</p><p>He glanced around. If that was true, wouldn’t they have flanked him by now?</p><p>“So, Sir Wilson. How about you give me one good reason to let you pass?”. Tim flexed his wings again.</p><p>How could they all be this infuriating? Was it a part of their monstrous biology or simply learned by being a part of Bruce’s shitty roost?</p><p>“Because that’s the only way things are going to end well for you.”.</p><p>“Oh, scary stuff.”.</p><p>Okay, this asshole was climbing the ladder quick on his shitlist, even possibly surpassing the brat from before.</p><p>Something about the man’s face tensed, looking sharper.</p><p>“What’d you want with Dick?”.</p><p>This again?</p><p>“What, the kid didn’t fill you in?”.</p><p>Tim shrugged.</p><p>“Maybe I’d like to hear it straight from the source.”.</p><p>Yeah right. Something was up, though he wasn’t sure of what.</p><p>“I’m here to settle the debt. And <em>no</em>, that isn’t code for ripping his head off. Just want to talk.”.</p><p>“What does that mean, exactly?”.</p><p>It made him click his tongue.</p><p>“That’s between me and him. You always interfere with your brother’s business like this? Like he’s an incapable child?”.</p><p>Time to turn this interrogation around.</p><p>“When there’s a hunter involved, yes.”. Tim paused. “He helped you, didn’t he? Why not leave it at that?”.</p><p>Despite the fact that he didn’t respond, something changed about Tim’s stance. It became more relaxed and his features softened, as if the previous tension had seeped out of him.</p><p>“Either way, perhaps it’s time we broaden our views a bit.”.</p><p>Then Tim’s lips quirked up in a small smile.</p><p>“You did save one of us after all.”.</p><p>Tim gestured with his head at Dick’s tree.</p><p>“Alright, go.”.</p><p>Fucking finally. Not like he needed the permission anyways.</p><p>“But.”.</p><p>Of course. Always a but.</p><p>“If Dick’s not walking out of there in let’s say-... About an hour? You won’t leave this forest alive. Understood?”.</p><p>“Crystal.”.</p><p>He lowered the hookshot, directing his attention to Dick’s door, mapping out how to get there as quick as possible.</p><p>“Oh, by the way.”.</p><p>For fuck’s sake, what now?</p><p>“Jason left for patrol. He, uh, wasn’t too thrilled about your presence here. So beware if he comes back knocking. Wouldn’t want him to catch you two <em>talking</em> again.”.</p><p>This prick. He knew, didn’t he. Yet he’d still pestered him with all of these questions.</p><p>“Alright.”.</p><p>He could almost feel Tim’s gaze boring into his back. It was uncomfortable. Each time he leaped through the air with the hookshot was a moment of vulnerability, for something to come and snatch him right out of the air.</p><p>But Tim seemed to keep his word, staying put.</p><p>Before he knew it, he was in front of Dick’s door.</p><p>This was it. No way but forward.</p><p>His hand hovered, knuckles nearly touching the door.</p><p>Should he… knock?</p><p>Or just bust through? Tim be damned?</p><p>Dammit, this was ridiculous.</p><p>He rapped on the door two times, then backed away, ready to fend off any incoming talon swipes.</p><p>Something rustled inside.</p><p>Then after a few moments there was a sound of the door being unlatched.</p><p>“Dammit Jay, I told you I don’t need-“.</p><p>Dick paused as he peeked out his ruffled head, a few sticks nestled in it.</p><p>“Oh. <em>Hi.</em>”.</p><p>It was so utterly bewildering that he gaped a bit before realizing it, immediately closing his mouth.</p><p>Then Dick’s face cracked up with a smile.</p><p>“Figures you’d find your way here.”.</p><p>With a shuffle, Dick held the door open and stepped aside.</p><p>Was this some kind of ruse, to catch him off-guard? Or had Dick crashed into a tree, giving him amnesia?</p><p>“As funny as it is to watch your face right now, don’t you wanna come in?”.</p><p>Dick’s tone seemed a mix of amusement and challenging.</p><p>He glanced back. Tim was nowhere to be found. Probably skulking around in the trees somewhere.</p><p>Well, at least there seemed to be no other discernible threats. Yet he didn’t loosen up until he was inside Dick’s nest, having scanned the entirety of the hollowed-out tree. It was smaller than Dick’s previous nest, pretty much just consisting of a messy heap of sticks, grass, leaves and feathers along with one lonely shelf with a few familiar trinkets in the corner.</p><p>He turned to Dick, who closed the door by putting the latch back in place. That latch was a nice addition compared to the old nest, considering how Jason had been able to walk in on them back then.</p><p>They stared at each other, Dick still smiling.</p><p>“You seem to have changed your tune. Inviting me in rather than telling me to piss off.”.</p><p>The smile faltered.</p><p>“I never had a problem with you being here, if that’s what you’re referring to.”.</p><p>“Then what?”.</p><p>He didn’t mean to come off like a grouch but it was getting jarring.</p><p>Dick winced and ran a hand through his hair, ridding it off the sticks and leaves.</p><p>“I’m not sure. It just-…got me on edge, I suppose.”.</p><p>Well, perhaps he could’ve handled their previous encounter with more tact.</p><p>Either way, it was nice to see Dick relaxed again.</p><p>“Damian told us what you did. About the hunters.”.</p><p>Dick was back to smiling. He closed the distance between them, carefully grabbing Slade’s hand, giving it a light squeeze while looking him right in the eye.</p><p>“Really, thank you.”.</p><p>Then Dick leaned in, planting a soft kiss on his lips, before taking a step back.</p><p>“If you ever considered yourself indebted, it has definitely been repaid.”.</p><p>He squeezed Dick’s hand in return.</p><p>“No.”.</p><p>Dick tilted his head, smile dropping.</p><p>“Slade…”.</p><p>“Come with.”.</p><p>Dick seemed reluctant, face turning downwards to the side.</p><p>He let go of Dick’s hand and moved closer, using both of his hands to frame his face instead and making Dick look at him.</p><p>“It’s okay. You don’t have to choose, you can have both.”.</p><p>He caressed Dick’s cheek with one of his thumbs while looking down at him.</p><p>“How can you be so sure?”.</p><p>He wasn’t.</p><p>Really, he had no clue how Bruce and the others would react to the idea. They’d never trust Slade, even if saving the kid might’ve relieved some tension.</p><p>However, if it came from Dick himself, they just might let him go. At the very least, he liked to think that they cared about Dick enough not to keep him here against his will.</p><p>The trick was getting Dick to say the words.</p><p>“Trust me. We’ll sort it out.”.</p><p>Dick let out a small laugh, gripping onto Slade’s elbows.</p><p>“You’re full of shit, you know that?”.</p><p>It made him grin.</p><p>“Just wait and see.”.</p><p>Dick leaned into his hand, observing him quietly.</p><p>Was he taking the bait? Perhaps there was a way to get more persuasive.</p><p>He pulled Dick in for a kiss. Dick complied, pressing up against him and opening his mouth.</p><p>His hand wandered down, bunching the fabric at Dick’s hip.</p><p>Their grind against one another was hindered by his light chest piece armor, his gloves, everything really. Yet he was too busy turning the kiss into a rougher one, devouring Dick’s mouth. Dick made a lovely small, muffled noise that spilled out between their locked lips.</p><p>Then Dick clawed at his arm, pushing him back and forcing them to pull apart.</p><p>“How the hell do you get this thing off?”. Dick looked down at his armor as if he was ready to fight it.</p><p>“Gimme a sec.”, he grinned back. His slid the sheaths off of his shoulders before getting to work with removing the armor and his shirt, all while Dick watched.</p><p>Most would be self-conscious, exposing oneself while in the presence of someone as absurdly tempting as Dick.</p><p>However, judging by the way Dick’s eyes roamed his body and the way he’d responded earlier there didn’t seem to be much to fear. The attraction was still there, the same eagerness from a year ago.</p><p>“All yours.”. He held out his arms. Dick tugged him back by gripping his neck, pressing their mouths together again. The spot where Dick held his neck tingled, the display of hunger heating up something inside. Suddenly, things got darker, as Dick’s wings enveloped both of them.</p><p>It was as if the outside world had been closed off. Just them, their bodies pressed up against one another as they both stroked every patch of skin they could find on each other. Really, he shouldn’t be surprised that the seemingly smooth skin on Dick’s body also, well, <em>felt</em> smooth underneath his roaming fingertips. It was ridiculous and intriguing at the same time.</p><p>His hands wandered down to Dick’s hip, to the side of it, before stroking the rear.</p><p>“Can I?”.</p><p>Dick looked up at him through his lashes. “What?”, he murmured.</p><p>“This.”. He groped Dick’s cheeks.</p><p>Dick chuckled. “Well, someone once told me to take what you want. Granted, he’s a pretty shady guy. I hear he has a thing for –”.</p><p>The rest of Dick’s words were muffled when he shut him up with a kiss. His hand went down to his own trousers, unbuckling the belt and unbuttoning them, pulling out his hardened length. Then he grabbed the hem of Dick’s trousers, pulling them down. It eventually fell off by itself, once he got it past Dick’s toned thighs. With everything out and on display, he got to stroking them both with one hand.</p><p>While clawing at his arms, Dick’s warm body flushed against him. He himself was getting out of breath as well, the pent-up feeling getting rather strenuous. They had some serious catching up to do.</p><p>Dick leaned his head down against his shoulder, breaths fanning against his throat.</p><p>How unwise.</p><p>He took a firm hold with one hand on Dick’s behind and the other one holding his lower back, before lifting him up.</p><p>Dick yelped, raising his head in a hurry while wrapping his legs and arms around Slade for support.</p><p>He looked up at Dick, who was giving him a dirty look.</p><p>“Ever flown like this?”.</p><p>Dick didn’t seem amused, further scowling, wings twitching.</p><p>“Ha-ha, very funny. Joke’s on you, I- Whoa!”.</p><p>He dumped Dick down on the messy heap that was his nest.</p><p>It was a gorgeous view. Dick naked, with his wings splayed out, beautiful blue eyes wide as he looked up at Slade.</p><p>Dick was just getting up on his elbows when he kneeled over him, getting in between Dick’s legs and pressing him down. The heap underneath them rustled and dipped a bit from the added weight. Dick tried to push back but eventually slumped backwards when he forced him down using a hand on the shoulder, leaning over him and capturing Dick’s mouth again.</p><p>When he ground into him, Dick gave a small but wonderful shudder against his body.</p><p>He let his free hand roam on Dick’s chest, caressing and brushing lightly with his fingertips until he found a stiff nub.</p><p>He flicked it, followed by a pinch.</p><p>Dick slightly arched upwards, moaning something into his mouth but it came out muted by their lips slotted together.</p><p>Suddenly, something touched his back, sending a delightful prickle down his spine. Dick’s hands were roaming, lingering each time he brushed against one of the old scars.</p><p>That reminded him.</p><p>He pulled back, watching Dick suck in a deep breath as he stared back at Slade. Using his hand, he began tracing along Dick’s right wing. Dick shivered, curiously enough, as his hand moved across it. Dick turned his face to the side and his eyes trailed the hand Slade had on his wing, as if he was trying to map out its route.</p><p>There it was. A small hole, nestled under some feathers.</p><p>His face clenched.</p><p>“It didn’t heal?”.</p><p>Dick tensed a bit.</p><p>“No. The blade pierced straight through.”.</p><p>Then something touched his cheek. Dick’s hand guided his face away from the wing.</p><p>“It’s okay, I can still fly.”.</p><p>Dick smiled again, before surging up and resuming their kiss.</p><p>He responded, but his hand wedged itself under and onto Dick’s back. The scars he’d seen were still there, adorning the skin. Dick shivered and arched up further, when he gently brushed against them and followed their pattern.</p><p>He wanted to rip Jason’s head off.</p><p>The anger washed over him with a sudden force. This wasn’t just about tarnishing something beautiful with his filthy claws; Dick could’ve been crippled. Not just the wings, if Jason’s claws had dug deep enough into the spine then things might’ve ended up beyond repair. All because of him being one impulsive fucker.</p><p>Yet he choked it down. He wasn’t going to let it ruin this.</p><p>Once he got Dick out of here, Jason would no longer be a concern.</p><p>His hand touched the lower base of Dick’s wings, stroking along the feathers. Dick shuddered, more than before. Okay, so he wasn’t mistaken. Then a smothered moan from Dick built its way up and made its way into his mouth, caught between their lips.</p><p>It sent another flush of heat through his groin, his arousal twitching in response to the sound.</p><p>He grabbed Dick by the hips, pulling him close, enough to line up their both stiff members and hold them together, pumping them fiercely again.</p><p>Dick groaned, arching his back. His hands clawed at Slade’s upper arms, trying to get purchase.</p><p>He stopped, holding their members still, while his other hand moved to open and shuffle around in the pouch attached at the back to the belt. He had an ointment in there somewhere, meant to relieve wounds.</p><p>It’d do.</p><p>Then his finger brushed against the trembling feather.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>“Do you trust me?”.</p><p>Dick paused his fumbling hands that were trying to get Slade to pump their erections again, slightly out of breath.</p><p>“Why?”. Dick sounded strained.</p><p>“You’ll see. Do you trust me or not?”.</p><p>Dick winced when Slade squeezed, doing a languid pump, while keeping his eye locked on Dick’s face.</p><p>“Oh crap! - Yeah, I guess.”.</p><p>He hummed. ‘I guess’ wasn’t what he was going for but whatever, he’d work on that.</p><p>“Then close your eyes. Don’t open them until I say so.”.</p><p>Dick seemed about to open his mouth, to question him most likely, but closed it.</p><p>He took the opportunity to lean in, mouth at Dick’s ear.</p><p>“I won’t hurt you.”, he rumbled quietly.</p><p>When he leaned back, Dick had actually closed his eyes.</p><p>Whether it was fearlessness or foolishness, he wasn’t sure. For Dick to dare to yield control like this. To someone like him.</p><p>Either way, it was absolutely gratifying.</p><p>He scrambled for the small bottle with ointment and the feather, putting them down in the nest next to them, before tucking off the belt, unlooping it from the straps on his trousers. The hookshot cluttered to the floor as he threw it aside.</p><p>Then he pressed Dick down by the shoulder, making him lie down completely on his back again.</p><p>It was impossible not to lean down and press a quick kiss on the lips, before he leaned back and grasped both of Dick’s hands, putting them together.</p><p>Then he began wrapping the leather belt around them, tying them together.</p><p>Dick stirred but kept his eyes closed.</p><p>“Is this really necessary?”.</p><p>“No. But you look good like this.”.</p><p>Dick’s erection seemed to react positively at that, perking up with a twitch, while Dick dragged in a deep breath.</p><p>He finished tying the belt, pulling at it to make sure it was tight enough.</p><p>When he leaned away, grabbing the ointment, Dick moved restlessly again.</p><p>“Slade, you’re not here to carve out my heart are you? Pluck my feathers?”.</p><p>It sounded like a joke but there was something about it that gave him pause.</p><p>“No. I’ll take care of you. Of <em>this</em>.<em>”. </em>He squeezed Dick’s erection.</p><p>Perhaps it was the intimacy and being with a new partner, or the fact that Slade was human, <em>a </em>hunter, making him feel like prey. Or maybe there was something else entirely that stirred uncertainty.</p><p>It didn’t matter though. Given time, he’d make sure to coax it out of him.</p><p>“Besides, I already got all the feathers I need.”.</p><p>Dick opened his eyes at that, searching his face.</p><p>“You’re weird.”.</p><p>Now that did force a smile out of him.</p><p>“Not as weird as you. Didn’t I tell you not to look?”. He fixed Dick with a glare.</p><p>Dick didn’t look the least sorry, rather looking up at him mischievously with a smirk.</p><p>“You’re too slow.”.</p><p>Alright, challenge accepted.</p><p>“Apologies for the delay.”.</p><p>He grabbed Dick’s tied hands, lifting and pressing them down above his head and began kissing him roughly, sucking on the lips before prying them apart with his tongue. Uncorking the small bottle at the same time in his other hand by using his thumb required a bit finesse. He tipped it over enough for the oily substance to spill out onto his fingers, coating them.</p><p>Dick was surprisingly strong, pushing upwards against Slade’s hold on his bound hands. It did something to fuel the heat in his arousal, almost like the hint of a battle. He had to press the tied-up hands down even harder to keep them in place.</p><p>While putting the bottle back down, he placed it between a few leaves and twigs without really bothering to check if it’d tip over.</p><p>Distracting Dick with his mouth didn’t quite work, as Dick’s whole body went taut when his slick fingers circled the rim, before finally pushing a finger inside.</p><p>Dick winced when he breached him, tugging against the belt and Slade’s hold, before growing limp again.</p><p>He pulled back, hovering his lips above Dick’s, before doing an experimental thrust, curling the finger a bit.</p><p>Dick made a small, whimpering noise, squeezing his eyes shut.</p><p>He removed the hand holding Dick’s arms down, instead moving down to pump Dick’s erection.</p><p>The smothered noise grew into a moan.</p><p>It took some teasing and distracting coupled with a few thrusts and angling of his finger to find the right place, carefully observing each reaction and sudden inhalation.</p><p>At first, he tapped against the prostate rather gently, making Dick squirm.</p><p>Then he began thrusting, picking up the pace, all while pumping Dick’s erection steadily.</p><p>The moan that spilled out Dick’s mouth sounded surprised, before one after another followed amidst ragged breaths, even more so when he added a second finger.</p><p>Dick bucked into the touch, thighs quivering as he leaned his head to the side. Bits of leaves and twigs crunched in Dick’s grip, as the bound hands tried to cling to something.</p><p>He leaned forward, nosing at Dick’s throat, grazing it with his teeth, then nudging, motioning for Dick to lean his head back, which he did.</p><p>“Oh- I think I’m gonna- !“. Dick’s body went rigid, ready for release.</p><p>He stopped, squeezing Dick’s erection tight. Slowly he pulled out his fingers while still resting his mouth against the hollow of Dick’s throat.</p><p>“What the hell?”, Dick panted.</p><p>“You opened your eyes before I told you.”.</p><p>Dick stilled.</p><p>“That demands some kind of consequence, don’t you think?”.</p><p>He licked and bit down on Dick’s neck, lightly at first, then harder, pinching Dick’s nipple at the same time.</p><p>Dick yelped.</p><p>“Whoa! Okay, okay. <em>I’m sorry</em>. Is that what you want to hear? Will you please finish?”.</p><p>“That’s a good start.”.</p><p>He kissed the red spot he’d just bit, before leaning back.</p><p>“You do as I say and I’ll let you come. Deal?”.</p><p>He’d promised to take care of it but he’d never specified <em>how</em> quickly.</p><p>“This is cheating, you-“.</p><p>“Deal?”. He pumped Dick’s erection, making Dick jerk in surprise with a gasp.</p><p>“Fine. Please -.”.</p><p>“Don’t fret, I got you.”.</p><p>His hand was still slick from the ointment and he stained the feather a bit when he reached into his pouch and retrieved it. Dick’s brows furrowed, looking at it suspiciously, slightly narrowing his eyes. As if it was an old enemy.</p><p>“You’re not serious.”.</p><p>He grinned, while Dick rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Now while I do this, you’re not going to say a word. I’ll get you there, alright?”.</p><p>Despite his reluctance, Dick actually gave a small nod.</p><p>“Good. Close your eyes.”.</p><p>It sent yet another wave of arousal through him, when Dick immediately obeyed. He truly looked stunning, every inch of him.</p><p>Now that he had Dick convinced, he removed his hand from Dick’s erection, instead moving it down along Dick’s right side, down to the base of his wing.</p><p>At the first stroke, Dick shuddered.</p><p>He trailed the quaking feather down along Dick’s chest, past his navel and down to the groin, lightly brushing it against the tip of Dick’s swollen erection, and the rim below, making Dick bite his lip, before moving back up again, doing it again, trailing it down Dick’s sides. All while petting the wing with his other hand.</p><p>He was sensitive alright, each line of stroke with the feather causing shivers and speeding up Dick’s breathing.</p><p>Dick’s breath hitched when he brushed against a nipple. He lingered, moving the feather back and forth against it repeatedly, before continuing down towards Dick’s groin again, making Dick try and twist his body.</p><p>Could he come from this? It’d just seemed like a fun idea and the touch was light, even though he was petting the wing rather firmly with his other hand. Yet based on Dick’s reactions he’d guess probably, given enough time and with more focus on the lower region.</p><p>Perhaps on another occasion. Really, stroking Dick’s body down a couple of times would have to do because he was already getting impatient himself, his own erection straining for release. Besides, unbeknownst to Dick, they were actually on the clock.</p><p>No more games then, for now.</p><p>He brushed some strands of hair out of Dick’s face with two fingers while still holding the feather, putting the hair behind Dick’s left ear. Then he lodged the feather there, nestling it into Dick’s hair.</p><p>Its glow lit up the side of Dick’s face with a bluish shimmer.</p><p>“You can open your eyes.”.</p><p>Dick did, slowly, blinking at first. He turned his face slightly, his eyes trying to glance at the feather lodged in behind his ear.</p><p>The shining feather lit up Dick’s already blue eyes, giving them the same ethereal glow.</p><p>Then Dick looked up at him.</p><p>He stilled, body going taut.</p><p>Then without even thinking about it, his hand moved down, pushing a finger into Dick’s hole.</p><p>Dick gasped, when he suddenly slipped the slick finger in and out relentlessly.</p><p>He stopped petting Dick’s wing to grasp his own erection, pumping it.</p><p>Ah, hell. It’d already been greedy from the start, engaging Dick like this. But there was no way he was stopping now.</p><p>His hands fumbled for the small bottle of ointment. The damn thing had fallen to the side, spilling out some of it. Yet the remaining substance was enough for him to coat his member with.</p><p>Then, finally, he pressed the tip against Dick’s entrance. Dick twitched at the contact, eyes glued to Slade’s movement between his spread legs. Dick swallowed, his throat bobbing.</p><p>He lifted Dick’s chin up with his curled finger. “Look at me.”.</p><p>The finger under Dick’s jaw didn’t give him much choice other than to meet Slade’s gaze. When he breached him, Dick’s bound hands came down, pushing at his chest. Dick grimaced and tried to look away but his hand immediately gripped Dick’s jaw, carefully watching every detail of his face.</p><p>“You’re exquisite.”.</p><p>He parted Dick’s lips with his thumb. Dick’s breathing was rather shallow, probably doing his best to adjust to Slade’s girth. But he stopped pushing back against Slade’s chest.</p><p>He let go of Dick’s thigh, sliding his hand along it. Both of the thighs quivered, squeezing at Slade’s sides, as his hand hovered around Dick’s erection. Dick’s body tensed, anticipating his touch.</p><p>Not yet.</p><p>He thrusted.</p><p>A ripple of pleasure went through his member, then into his body. Dick whimpered, throwing his head back. his erection twitching in Slade’s hold.</p><p>It was hot, Dick’s warm insides sometimes throbbing while enveloping him. Dick’s wriggling didn’t make it easier, grinding against him, even though he was trying to take it slow.</p><p>Dick arched when he thrust again, deeper this time, finding a rhythm. Moans began spilling out of Dick’s mouth, until Dick’s bound hands shot up to cover his own mouth, muffling them as if they all of a sudden were embarrassing.</p><p>It was unbearably cute.</p><p>He put more power into the thrusts, sliding in and out even faster, as his fingers moved to hold Dick’s hip. His groin and spine tingled when Dick’s hands failed to contain the sounds, still audible.</p><p>His hands went up, roaming the upper chest, relishing in Dick’s thundering heartbeat underneath the skin.</p><p>His hand found a nipple, brushing against it with his thumb before teasing the nub with his fingers, doing another particularly hard thrust.</p><p>Dick let out a muffled mewl.</p><p>Increasing the pace, he slid in and out with force, as Dick’s inner walls tightened on and off around his length.</p><p>He grabbed a hold of one of Dick’s wrists, ripping the bound hands away from the mouth.</p><p>“No-!”, Dick panted, trying to bite his lips but it was no use.</p><p>The friction, the tightness, it was making things swirl. He’d come soon. As was Dick, judging by the pre-cum leaking out from his tip.</p><p>He leaned down, bearing down on Dick with the bulk of his body, changing the angle before continuing to thrust.</p><p>“It’s okay.”, he rumbled into Dick’s ear.</p><p>Dick tossed and turned his head, struggling but his bound hands were pinned between them, trying to pull his legs up against his body. The wings began to flap, as if Dick was about to fly off. Something made him press down on Dick harder to keep him from escaping, his grip around Dick’s wrist tightening.</p><p>Like that, Dick’s body convulsed, his walls clenching around Slade’s shaft tightly. The moan was high-pitched before Dick’s mouth went slack, as something wet spilled between and onto their stomachs.</p><p>The clenching and throbbing nearly sent him over the edge. He pried Dick’s mouth open with his tongue, kissing him hard, as he <em>rutted</em>, his grip on Dick’s wrist and hip sure to leave bruises.</p><p>With a grunt, he spilled inside of Dick who inhaled sharply.</p><p>The kiss grew more languid, a gentle press of mouths and sucking on each other’s lips until they were slick and tender.</p><p>Shit. Yeah, no way this was going to be the last time.</p><p>He untied the belt, watching Dick flex his hands before wrapping them around his neck, pulling him down for another kiss.</p><p>Then Dick nudged with his leg, motioning for him to roll over to the side. He complied, his upper body ending up on top of Dick’s wing.</p><p>It was all too familiar, as Dick’s other wing came down to cover them like a blanket.</p><p>Dick pressed close, tucking his head underneath Slade’s chin, nuzzling against his throat.</p><p>His arm wrapped around Dick’s lower back, caressing it with his hand.</p><p>“What happens now?”, Dick said quietly.</p><p>“Round two?”.</p><p>Dick let out a small chuckle, breath fanning against his throat.</p><p>“And after that?”.</p><p>“I’ll fill you in on the details, your grab your stuff and we leave.”.</p><p>“That simple?”.</p><p>He hummed.</p><p>“<em>That</em> simple. Like I said, everything’s taken care of.”.</p><p>Dick leaned back, looking him square in the eye.</p><p>“You do realize I’d be your partner? Not something you can just drag around and screw whenever you feel like it. Make decisions for.”.</p><p>There was an edge in Dick’s voice at the last part.</p><p>It painted a pretty funny picture, him trying to tame Dick. He nearly smiled but Dick’s serious look stopped it.</p><p>His hand found Dick’s face, framing it, caressing the cheekbone.</p><p>“Of course.”.</p><p>“…Why?”.</p><p>His face furrowed.</p><p>“Why what?”.</p><p>“Why everything. Trying to get me to come with, waiting this long. I already told you don’t owe me anything. I’m not trapped here.”.</p><p>Dick fixed him with a stare, seemingly searching his face for something.</p><p>“Because I want to.”.</p><p>Dick still looked doubtful.</p><p>“I want you.”.</p><p>Maybe it was the afterglow but it didn’t feel uncomfortable to lay it out into the open. And Dick seemed like he needed to hear it.</p><p>Dick looked shocked for a moment, before going back to regarding him quietly.</p><p>“Do you want it?”, he asked.</p><p>Dick looked away briefly.</p><p>“I need to know they’ll be okay. I can’t leave until I do.”.</p><p>Well, if Bruce could manage to get a grip on the situation before the Hunter’s Guild became involved, they might be. Even if he didn’t really want to bother, he could potentially return to the village, claim that the Raven-folk had been exterminated. However, they’d have to fake some kind of proof to get them to buy it. If the roost had to move again, he’d probably have to waste another wayward crystal on letting Dick get a thing of his own to track them with.</p><p>It was doable, if push came to shove. Anything to help him get Dick out of here quicker, really.</p><p>“Understood. But do you want it?”.</p><p>Dick bit his lip. Then he nodded.</p><p>Something fluttered in his stomach.</p><p>Excitement.</p><p>“Good. Then let’s take it from there.”.</p><p>Rather than getting excited, it should’ve nudged his conscience. Dick had no idea what venturing out into the world meant. Just because he didn’t feel like he belonged at the roost didn’t mean he’d find a sense of belonging out there either. Besides, the minimal contact he seemed to have had with the outside world had robbed him of his parents. Dick would be seeing both the good and the ugly parts of it. More ugly parts, if he was being honest.</p><p>Yet letting Dick stay here wasn’t an option.</p><p>Dick smiled. “Sounds like a deal.”.</p><p>Dick’s moved his hand away, leaning up on his elbow, removing the glowing feather tucked behind his ear.</p><p>Then he held it out to Slade.</p><p>“I believe this is yours.”.</p><p>Now that all of Dick was within reach, it didn’t matter much anymore. However, the fact that Dick was giving it to him stirred something.</p><p>“Well, if we’re trading trinkets, I’m afraid I don’t have much to give in return.”.</p><p>Dick grinned.</p><p>“Oh, but you do.”.</p><p>Dick’s hand stroked his chest, leaning in for a kiss.</p><p>It was just a soft press of lips but he enjoyed it to the fullest, slotting their mouths together eagerly.</p><p>As they parted, he’d decided.</p><p>“I got it.”.</p><p>Dick tilted his head. “What?”.</p><p>“The first place I’m going to take you. Ever seen a 3,500-foot waterfall? Teeming with sylphs?”.</p><p>Dick’s eyes lit up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! I hope you found this enjoyable. If you did, please leave kudos and/or a comment as it'd make my day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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